When all of Alabama’s Republican elected federal officials except U.S. Sen. Katie Britt announced their endorsement of Donald Trump in his presidential campaign, perhaps it seemed odd that Britt’s name was the only one missing.

It appeared to look that way to Charlie Kirk, a staunch Trump supporter and founder/CEO of Turning Point USA – a conservative group aimed at attracting young voters.

“There’s no legitimate excuse for Sen. Katie Britt to be the only federal elected official from Alabama not endorsing Donald Trump, especially when he went to bat for her in the (GOP Senate) primary (in 2022) and especially when Trump, the rule of law and our entire country are under assault,” Kirk posted on Twitter last Friday.

The tweet came a day after Alabama’s Washington GOP delegation announced their support of Trump – hours before the former president delivered the keynote address at the Alabama Republican Party’s annual summer dinner. Those officials endorsing Trump were Congressmen Robert Aderholt, Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, Gary Palmer, Mike Rogers and Dale Strong along with Sen. Tommy Tuberville.

Britt, however, provided an explanation for her absence among the endorsees in a statement the day before Kirk’s tweet.

Alabama’s junior senator cited her appointment last November to the newly-formed Republican Party Advisory Council – a group charged with analyzing what the party saw as disappointing results in the 2022 midterm elections. As part of that group, put together by RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, Britt said she intended to remain neutral until the group completed its work.

Britt’s full statement last Thursday given to AL.com:

“Senator Britt continues to serve on the RNC’s Republican Party Advisory Council,” Britt spokesman Sean Ross said in the statement. “As a condition of joining that Council, she pledged to stay neutral until the Council has finished its work, and she keeps her word. “Senator Britt enjoys a warm relationship with President Trump and had an opportunity to speak with him by phone this week. The Senator greatly appreciated his well wishes and kind words. They discussed the disastrous results of the Biden presidency and the need to restore strength to the White House, so that hardworking American families are put first again. While she continues to rest and recover at home, Wesley and her parents are excited to be there in-person on Friday to welcome President Trump back to Alabama.”

Britt missed the GOP dinner last week while recovering from what her office termed “sudden facial numbness.” The senator was briefly hospitalized and her statement last week said the condition was not life-threatening but it could take several weeks for full recovery.

Trump’s views on Britt have varied wildly. While supporting former Congressman Mo Brooks in his Senate campaign, Trump blasted Britt’s early candidacy. A month after she announced her senatorial campaign, Trump said in a July 2021 statement, “She is not in any way qualified and is certainly not what our country needs,” Trump’s statement continued. “For (Senate GOP leader) Mitch McConnell to be wasting money on her campaign is absolutely outrageous. Vote for Mo Brooks!”

Eleven months later — and 11 days prior to the GOP Senate primary runoff with polls indicating Britt had a comfortable lead over Brooks — Trump gave his endorsement to Britt after earlier dropping his support of Brooks.

“Katie is an Incredible Fighter for the people of Alabama,” Trump said in a June 2022 statement. “As President and CEO of Alabama’s Business Council, Katie has been working hard to Grow Alabama’s Economy, Create Jobs, and Restore the Great American Dream. She has the Total Support and Endorsement of Chairman Jimmy Parnell and the Alabama Farmers Federation.

“Above all, Katie Britt will never let you down. So Get Out and Vote for Katie Britt on June 21st in the Alabama Senate Runoff—she has my Complete and Total Endorsement!”

The impact of Trump’s endorsement on Britt’s campaign may appear dubious. Britt finished 16 percentage points ahead of Brooks in winning a plurality of the votes in the primary before Trump’s endorsement. In the runoff, she won 66 of Alabama’s 67 counties in a landslide victory over Brooks.