Amid increasing calls for President Joe Biden to withdraw from the 2024 race, renewed attention has been focused on his relationship with -- and the influence wielded by -- his wife, Jill Biden.

One of the first lady's harshest critics in recent days has been journalist and former Fox News personality Megyn Kelly, who recently held nothing back in her damning assessment of Jill Biden's conduct, as the New York Post reports.

First lady under fire

Amid the controversy that ensued in the wake of Biden's widely panned debate performance late last month, Jill Biden has drawn scrutiny for reportedly urging her husband to ignore calls for him to step down.

According to reports, Mrs. Biden has been closing ranks around her husband and insulating him from anyone questioning the wisdom of his continued presence in the race.

Axios noted that it is this sort of “kitchen cabinet” led by the first lady that will “alone hold sway over decisions big and small in Biden's life and presidency.”

Though Jill Biden has long enjoyed a remarkable degree of deference and praise from mainstream media outlets, elites within the Democratic Party are said to be panicking about the president's chances of defeating former President Donald Trump in a rematch, with many expressing frustration about the outsized role the first lady seems to have inside the administration.

One such source told Axios, “This is no longer about Joe Biden's family or his emotions. This is about our country. It's an utter f***ing disaster that has to be addressed.”

Kelly speaks out

In the wake of Jill Biden's most recent Vogue cover shoot and feature story, Kelly let loose on what she believes is the first lady's blind ambition that has led her to disregard her husband's best interests.

Kelly dubbed Jill Biden a “power-hungry aspirant to political power” looking to promote herself to the helm of a “shadow presidency” ready to take over for the “infirm” president.

The outspoken journalist's remarks came during a conversation with Piers Morgan on his online show Piers Morgan Uncensored.

In support of her opinion, Kelly also referenced a prior social media photo of the first lady sitting at a desk that was captioned, “Prepping for the G7.”

“She's not the damn president,” Kelly stated, adding, “No one elected you to lead us politically.”

Criticism mounts

Kelly is by no means the only prominent figure shining a spotlight on Jill Biden's role in allegedly encouraging her husband to remain in the limelight despite his apparent decline, with Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt also recently weighing in.

Leavitt argued that Mrs. Biden “obviously knows her husband better than anyone else in this country, in this world, and she too continues to lie to the American people. It really is shameful. She's been engaging in elder abuse, and she should be held accountable for that,” but the president's determination to continue his campaign -- reiterated again on Monday -- suggests that the time for such a reckoning may not come anytime soon.