Katie Britt’s Screwup of Human Trafficking Details in SOTU Response Becomes Embarrassment for GOP

Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) is facing intense blowback from her widely panned response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union (SOTU) address that has overshadowed Republican attempts to attack the president.

Britt’s speech has been highly criticized for its content, delivery, and even its setting, in a response far greater than previously maligned presidential responses from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA).

But it is accusations that Britt misled her audience by portraying decades-old events as somehow President Biden’s responsibility that have undermined Republican messaging.

Former Associated Press (AP) reporter Jonathan M. Katz created a stir by posting a video arguing that the graphic tale of sex trafficking and rape Britt used — the cornerstone of her attack on the impacts at home of Biden’s border policies — actually occurred in Mexico during the presidency of George W. Bush.

Katz claims Britt is describing the story of Karla Jacinto Romero, a woman who experienced human trafficking in Mexico between 2004 and 2008 — before Biden was president or vice president. Britt has told Romero’s story multiple times since the two met in January 2023.

Britt’s spokesman told Politico “the story Senator Britt told was 100% correct” but did not answer whether Britt was referring to Jacinto.

Britt defended herself Sunday on Fox News, claiming she did not mean to give the impression that the story she described was Biden’s fault. “The truth is, and the media knows that they’re not covering it, that human trafficking has gone up under President Biden,” Britt said.

Hours before Britt’s interview, her speech was mocked mercilessly by Saturday Night Live in the show’s iconic cold open.

“I saw a glimpse of the Republican senator’s response to my speech, and I think she’s gonna help me more than anything else I can say here,” said SNL actor Mikey Day, portraying Biden, before the cameras cut to guest Scarlett Johansson, who portrayed Britt from in a spacious, empty kitchen similar to Britt’s much-disparaged setting.

Johansson mocked Britt for her misleading trafficking story, telling the audience, “rest assured, every detail about it is real, except the year, where it took place, and who was president when it happened.”

The actress mocked Britt’s maligned, hyper-dramatic delivery as well, saying, “tonight, I’ll be auditioning for the part of Scary Mom,” and referring to herself as not just a senator, but “a wife, a mother, and the craziest bitch in the Target parking lot.”

Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel piled onto Britt as well during Sunday night’s annual awards show. “Emma Stone played an adult woman with the brain of a child, like the lady who gave the rebuttal to the State of the Union on Thursday night,” he said to widespread laughter. Stone is up for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her performance as Bella Baxter in the movie Poor Things.

Britt’s speech had been touted as an opportunity to propel the young lawmaker to stardom, but many commentators across the political spectrum believe her performance has undercut her career trajectory.

“She embarrassed herself, she embarrassed the Republicans, and she embarrassed women,” Megyn Kelly said in Friday’s episode of The Megyn Kelly Show. “It was a disgrace. I was horrified by her performance, and I really think it’s going to take her years to rebound.”

Bradley Jaye is a Capitol Hill Correspondent for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter at @BradleyAJaye.