Jill Biden: 'What they are doing to Hunter is cruel'

First lady Jill Biden defended her son, Hunter Biden, against an onslaught of attacks from Republicans in an interview that aired Thursday, saying the barrage of allegations against him has been "cruel."

"I think what they are doing to Hunter is cruel," the first lady said in an interview with MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski. "And I'm really proud of how Hunter has rebuilt his life after addiction. You know, I love my son and it's had — it’s hurt my grandchildren. And that's what I'm so concerned about, that it's affecting their lives as well."

The first lady lamented the shift in rhetoric in the country when asked about the constant attacks from Republicans against the Biden family, including from former President Trump, who frequently calls President Biden "incompetent."

"I mean, to look at it, what we used to have, and what the other side, the extremists have turned this country into. I mean, we would never see things like that, say 10 years ago," Jill Biden said.

Her interview aired a day after House Republicans voted to advance a contempt of Congress resolution against Hunter Biden, teeing up a full House vote and the potential for criminal charges for the president’s son.

Hunter Biden defied the subpoenas to appear for a closed-door deposition with House committees last month as part of the House GOP’s impeachment inquiry into his father, President Biden. The White House has repeatedly denied the president was involved in his son's business dealings.

House Republicans have repeatedly focused on Hunter Biden's business deals as part of the inquiry into the president. Hunter Biden was central to GOP attacks during the 2020 election, when the Trump campaign zeroed in on the contents of an old laptop that contained graphic images of the president's son.

Hunter Biden is also facing federal tax charges, as well as charges for lying in October 2018 on a federal form for gun purchasers when he swore at the time that he wasn’t using or addicted to illegal drugs.

The president has repeatedly said he is proud of Hunter and has noted Hunter has been open about his struggles with addiction.

Judy Kurtz contributed