Senator Katie Britt, the 42-year-old junior United States senator from Alabama since 2023, addressed questions arising from her SOTU response, where she criticized President Joe Biden's border and immigration policies.

During Katie Britt SOTU rebuttal, the senator recounted the story of a woman who was sexually assaulted in a trafficking operation run by cartels, stating that the abuse began when the woman was 12 years old, according to USA Today.

Questions were raised about the timing and details of the story, leading to a clarification by Britt's spokesperson, Sean Ross.

According to Ross, the senator was referring to an account of a woman who was sexually assaulted in Mexico, not the United States.

The incidents occurred from 2004 to 2008, more than a decade before Biden assumed the presidency.

In response to scrutiny from Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream, Britt clarified that she did not intend to give the impression that the story occurred during President Biden's tenure.

Instead, she used the opportunity to further criticize Joe Biden's handling of border security and immigration.

Britt defended her stance, emphasizing her efforts to gather information during her visits to the southern border.

She expressed a commitment to understanding the challenges faced by border patrol agents, victims of drug cartels, and the local population.

Investigation Reveals Origin of Senator's Story

Freelance journalist Jonathan Katz conducted a detailed investigation, posting a video on TikTok that traced the story referenced to Senator Katie Britt SOTU rebuttal.

The events unfolded in Mexico in the mid-2000s, and Katz linked it to a 2023 press release from Senator Marsha Blackburn.

Blackburn, along with Senators Britt and Cindy Hyde-Smith, visited Eagle Pass, Texas, in January 2023, shortly after Britt assumed office.

The press release highlighted their engagement with Karla Jacinto Romero, a human trafficking survivor, CNN reports.

Jacinto Romero publicly shared her story in a 2015 hearing on sex trafficking, recounting years of emotional and sexual violation starting at the age of 12.

Senator Britt had previously mentioned this story, including on Capitol Hill in September 2023, according to her social media account.

White House spokesman Andrew Bates responded to the controversy, urging Senator Britt to focus on supporting bipartisan border legislation.

He criticized her for perpetuating "debunked lies" and prioritizing human smugglers and fentanyl traffickers over national security.

Republican Rep. Chip Roy Defends Britt Amid Criticism

Republican Representative Chip Roy from Texas defended Senator Katie Britt SOTU rebuttal to her lack of Senate speech experience.

Roy took to X, alleging that GOP leadership set Britt up for failure by assigning her the rebuttal without prior Senate speech experience.

Roy criticized party leaders for not adequately preparing Britt, leading to a speech mocked as awkward and stilted, even becoming the focus of a Saturday Night Live cold open, per The Hill.

The representative argued that the party's mishandling allowed the focus to shift from policy issues to the senator's delivery and choice of venue.

Roy urged Republican voters to reject leadership that distracts from policy discussions, emphasizing the importance of fact-checking and preparation to avoid unnecessary controversies.

He called for a renewed focus on addressing policy concerns rather than engaging in internal party disputes.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: 'Absurdly overdramatic': Republicans react to Katie Britt's State of the Union response - From MSNBC