Miss North Carolina USA organizers stripped that title from their recently crowned winner, claiming on Wednesday that she had failed to uphold the pageant’s “standards and values.”
Brittany Boltinhouse, 27, will not represent the Tar Heel state at the 75th annual Miss USA 2026 pageant on Aug. 27 in Miami, according to Blaize Productions, organizers of the North Carolina competition.
Instead, first runner-up Myla Hadley will represent North Carolina later this month.
“As an organization entrusted with selecting and preparing women to represent our states on the national stage, we must uphold the standards and values that our titleholders agree to embrace when accepting the honor of wearing the crown,” according to a Blaize Productions statement.
“After careful consideration, multiple conversations and in consultation with the Miss USA Organization, A Blaize Productions has made the difficult decision to conclude Brittany Boltinhouse’s reign as Miss North Carolina USA 2026.”
Blaize didn’t elaborate on Botinhouse’s alleged missteps, but Miss USA President and CEO Thom Brodeur issued a separate statement saying that the organization “does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia, nor language that strips any person of their dignity — whoever they are.”
Boltinhouse could not be immediately reached by NBC News for comment via publicly listed phone numbers on Thursday.
She posted a lengthy, cryptic warning to followers on Wednesday, urging them to be “careful who you take advice from.”
“Not everyone deserves a seat at the table when it comes to your dreams,” Boltinhouse wrote. “If someone has never built what you’re trying to build, never taken the risk you’re taking, or never achieved the goals you’re chasing, their opinion shouldn’t carry more weight than your vision. Take advice from people who have walked the path, not just people who have opinions. Dream big, work hard, and let your results do the talking.”
