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Brittany Boltinhouse has been stripped of the Miss North Carolina USA title five weeks after winning it.
Old social media posts containing racist language resurfaced online shortly after the 27-year-old was crowned on June 28.
She was due to represent North Carolina at the 75th annual Miss USA pageant in Miami on August 27.
That will not be happening now.
First runner-up Myla Hadley has taken her place.
Miss USA CEO Thom Brodeur confirmed the decision on Wednesday, saying the organisation 'does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia, nor language that strips any person of their dignity'.
Brodeur's statement did not name the platform or quote the content directly.
He said the decision was not based on a 'single moment' but on 'conduct over an extended period of time'.
Complex and other outlets have reported that the posts contained the N-word. Local station WITN described them as 'inflammatory'.
They are believed to have surfaced shortly after Boltinhouse was crowned, as tends to happen when someone previously unknown suddenly gets a lot of public attention and people start going through their history.
Boltinhouse lives in Wilmington but is originally from Duplin County, a rural area in eastern North Carolina.
She has not yet responded publicly.
Brodeur's statement was unusually direct for this kind of announcement.
He described the title as 'not a trinket' but 'a position of trust extended by an organisation and accepted by a woman who agrees to carry a standard in public'.
He acknowledged that Boltinhouse had apologised.
'That does not undo the harm, and it does not change the outcome.'
He also cautioned the public against going too far in the other direction, saying: "Accountability is necessary, but cruelty is not."
Her actions, he said, did not give people 'permission to strip someone of their humanity, which is, after all, precisely the thing we are holding her accountable for doing to others'.
The Miss USA organisation said it deliberately issued its statement before Boltinhouse had the chance to address the situation herself.
A Blaize Productions, the company that runs the Miss North Carolina USA preliminary, said the decision 'was not made lightly' and followed 'a thorough review of recently surfaced information'.
On the night she was crowned, Boltinhouse posted on Instagram.
'There are moments in life that forever change who you are. This is one of mine.'
'This crown is bigger than me. It's for the people who have been underestimated. For those who have been told they're too old, too young, too different, or not enough.'
That post reads very differently now.
It is not the first time a beauty queen has lost her title over old social media activity.
Former Miss Finland Sarah Dzafce was recently dethroned over an anti-Asian post.
In the US, pageant organisations have become increasingly aggressive about vetting winners' digital histories, though the vetting clearly did not catch Boltinhouse's posts before she was crowned.
The Miss USA system has had a turbulent few years for other reasons too.
In 2023, Miss USA Noelia Voigt resigned mid-reign, citing mental health. Miss Teen USA UmaSofia Srivastava stepped down days later. Both departures prompted wider scrutiny of the organisation's culture and leadership.
Hadley will represent North Carolina at Miss USA on August 27 in Miami.
The winner goes on to Miss Universe on November 24.
Boltinhouse's pageant career appears to be over.
Whether she responds publicly remains to be seen.
Brodeur's statement suggested the organisation wanted the story to end with their words, not hers.
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In this age of tweets and emails, everybody is at risk of having their personal thoughts and comments dug up years later and used against them. We all leave a digital paper trail, and it is important to make sure that we're not saying anything online that we wouldn't want people hearing out in public.
One person who is discovering the full weight of this issue is student and former Miss Michigan, Kathy Zhu. The Miss World hopeful has since been stripped of her title and pulled from the pageant after several "racist" and "insensitive" tweets have surfaced.
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The 20-year-old University of Michigan student shared screenshots of an email she received from pageant officials on July 19, detailing her removal from the contest.
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The tweets - obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, as per CBS News - in question detailed her feelings on hijabs and murder rates among African-Americans. The first tweet allegedly read:
"There is a ‘try a hijab on’ booth at my college campus. So you’re telling me that it’s now just a fashion accessory and not a religious thing? Or are you just trying to get women used to being oppressed under Islam?"
While the second one reportedly read:
"Did you know that the majority of black deaths are caused by other blacks? Fix problems within your own community first before blaming others.’ The tweets were sent in 2017 and 2018, but have since been deleted."
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The tweets were originally posted in 2017 and 2018, respectively, but have since been deleted.
Zhu, the vice president of UM College Republicans, said that organizers have taken these comments out of context, and failed to provide her with an adequate platform to explain herself and her reasoning behind them.
Zhu received the news in an email from state director Laurie DeJack, where she was informed that she would no longer be permitted to participate in pageants or have her name associated with the title in any way. In screenshots shared by Zhu, the email began:
"It has been brought to the attention of Miss World America (MWA) that your social media accounts contain offensive, insensitive and inappropriate content, and in violation of MWA’s Rules and Conditions, specifically the contestant requirement of ‘being of good character and whose background is not likely to bring into disrepute Miss World America or any person associated with the organization’."
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The news came just one day after Zhu was announced as Miss Michigan World America 2019. In an apparent confirmation, the pageant's organizers have since deleted the original announcement from a regional Facebook page, and replaced it with an updated list of other winners, UNILAD reports.
Zhu has since responded to MWA's decision in a video posted to her Twitter account on Friday, where she claimed that she has been discriminated against as a result of her personal political views.
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In the video, she says: "Little attacks like those really, really diminishes the value and the trust of the word, 'racism'." She also thanked her followers for their support.
The newly crowned Miss America 2026 has hit back after some viewers decided to send her hate about her looks.
Cassie Donegan has officially been crowned Miss America 2026, with the 28-year-old representing New York, per the Daily Mail.
On September 7, 2025, she took center stage at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando, Florida, where she competed against 52 other contestants from all 50 states.
In a lovely moment, last year’s Miss America, Abbie Stockard from Alabama, passed on the crown, sash, and prestigious title to Donegan.
The win also comes with a generous $50,000 tuition scholarship, which will go toward her future endeavors.
Not only did she claim the crown, but Donegan also earned an additional $3,000 prize after excelling in the Miss America 2026 Talent Competition, where her vocal performance earned rave reviews.
Celebrating her success, Donegan was showered with love from fans, especially from her closest friends, whose emotional reactions to her victory went viral on TikTok.
While the support from her loved ones and fans has been overwhelming, the pageant queen has also faced some criticism, particularly surrounding her glam choices for the national competition, including her makeup for the final round.
Despite the negative comments, Donegan is no stranger to the challenges that come with being in the public eye. She understands that criticism is part of the deal but has found a way to handle it with grace and resilience.
In an interview with PEOPLE, Donegan opened up about how she manages negativity, especially in the face of public scrutiny.
"Often you do have to just pick and choose what you allow yourself to digest," she explained.
"I think that's something that's been a really useful tool, really leaning into those who are lifting me up, loving me, and holding me high, and choosing to focus on the positivity that's happening in the moment."
She also acknowledged that, despite the title and attention, she is still a person who experiences the same vulnerabilities as anyone else.
"I'm just a normal person. No, I don't want to hear people ever say anything negative, especially about my appearance," she said.
"But I also respect that the internet is a public space and that people have the right to their opinion to be able to share that, and no one's going to be everyone's favorite all of the time."
Throughout her journey to the crown, Donegan has consistently emphasized the importance of staying true to herself.
This theme was especially evident during the final rounds of the competition when each contestant answered a rapid-fire question on stage. Donegan was asked about "authentic self-expressions" and how they relate to "professional standards."
Her response resonated deeply with the audience: "I believe that being true to yourself 100 percent is the most important thing that you can do, and if that includes your self-expression through piercings or tattoos, then 100 percent do it," she stated confidently.
"I think that no one has the right to tell you what you can do with your own body. This is your vessel, and you should be able to walk around proudly in it."
Donegan also shared a bit about her own unique sense of style: "I, myself, walk around in what my siblings love to call 'grandma chic,' and I think that's great," she said.
For Donegan, the true reward of being crowned Miss America goes beyond the sash and crown.
She believes that her role is to make a difference in the lives of others, no matter how big or small.
"I'm just going to do my best to love everyone and care about everyone, because at the end of the day, if even just one person has felt touched in some way or seen or loved through me as Miss America, then I've done my job. And that's the most important thing," she said.
Beauty pageants are often viewed as an anachronistic leftover from a begone society, and it's not difficult to see why. There have, however, been steps to modernise the process, like when the Miss America pageant scrapped the swimsuit competition in June of last year.
And now, for the first time, the titles for Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe are all held by black women - which is quite the feat in a largely whitewashed institution.
Last night, Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa was crowned Miss Universe, joining Miss America, Nia Franklin, Miss USA, Cheslie Kryst, and Miss Teen USA, Kaliegh Garris.
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Speaking to the BBC about her historic win, Tunzi said, "I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me, with my kind of skin and my kind of hair, was never considered to be beautiful. I think that it is time that that stops today."
"Tonight a door was opened and I could not be more grateful to have been the one to have walked through it," Tunzi later wrote on Instagram. "May every little girl who witnessed this moment forever believe in the power of her dreams and may they see their faces reflected in mine. I proudly state my name Zozibini Tunzi, Miss Universe 2019!"
Watch Miss Universe's acceptance speech below:
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And in an interview with the New York Times, Miss America, Nia Franklin, spoke about the importance of representation. "It is important to little brown and black girls to see three strong figures, three strong women, African American women that are doing so much great work," she told the publication in May. "People will argue that race doesn’t matter. But race does matter in America, because of the history, because of slavery."
The hashtag #MissUniverse quickly started trending on Twitter, and Tunzi even got a shout-out from Oprah Winfrey.
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Cardi B has been met with backlash from social media users following her comments about certain US states following Trump's victory in the presidential election.
Following news of Trump once again taking the White House, reactions flooded social media.
Although many of the 78-year-old Republican's supporters were understandably overjoyed by the news, there has also been a wave of both disappointment and skepticism from Trump's critics.
In the wake of Trump's win, many celebrities voiced their thoughts on the matter - including rapper Cardi B.
Taking to X, the 'WAP' star threw some shade that left fans and foes alike in a whirlwind.
On Tuesday night, amidst the tension of early election returns, the chart-topping rapper shared a video at 8:42PM PT, hinting at her disappointment with the voting outcomes in certain states.
Sporting a face filter, Cardi B said: "This is why some of y’all states be getting hurricanes," she remarked, just as the Associated Press was announcing victories for Donald Trump in states like Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and North Carolina. The video can be seen below:
Of course, the rapper's comments come after the devastating Hurricanes Helene and Milton caused widespread destruction in southeast states.
Though the video vanished minutes after it was shared - it was captured by social media users and widely shared.
In response to Cardi's comments, one person wrote: "This is very insensitive and disgusting to say."
A second agreed, writing: "That’s very weird and insensitive to say."
"I love Cardi but she’s so weird for that," a third added, with a fourth: "So she’s blaming acts of God (natural disasters) that kill people on politics? This is a sick woman. Not everything is a joke."
"Her true colors are showing. What a disgusting thing to say. Innocent families including children died in the recent Hurricanes," a fifth wrote.
Later on during election night, as the tally boards lit up red, she also tweeted out a plea for divine intervention: "We need a hail mary," signaling her dismay as Kamala Harris fell behoind in crucial battleground states.
A staunch supporter of Harris, Cardi B had just days earlier revved up a Wisconsin rally with fiery words.
"Just like Kamala Harris, I too have been the underdog," she declared, sharing her own battles and triumphs as a testament to relentless perseverance. "Women have to work 10 times harder, perform 10 times better, and still, people question us how we got to the top," the rapper said.
The drama escalated when X’s own Elon Musk - a Trump endorser - took a jab at Cardi, criticizing her for reading her speech from a phone after a teleprompter glitch, per Variety.
"Another puppet who can’t even talk without being fed the words," Musk scoffed, dismissing the authenticity of Harris' campaign. Unfazed, Cardi clapped back with a personal revelation about her roots and the real American struggle, challenging Musk’s understanding of hardship.
"I’m a daughter of two immigrant parents that had to work their a** off to provide for me! I’m a product of welfare, I’m a product of section 8, I’m a product of poverty and I’m a product of what happens when the system is set up against you… But you don’t know nothing about that," she defiantly hit back. "You don’t know not one thing about the American struggle…. PS fix my algorithm."
A woman from North Carolina has tragically been found dead in the woods after she was seen on a camera getting into a stranger's car.
Heather Williams, who had cognitive impairments, was recorded on a Ring doorbell camera leaving her Fayetteville home around 10:00PM on January 4.
Footage showed her entering a "light-colored sedan with a sunroof," according to the Fayetteville Police Department.
Authorities launched a missing person investigation and issued an endangered person alert on January 7, citing Williams’ cognitive challenges.
Tragically, her body was found three days later in a wooded area approximately five miles from her last known location.
Police are treating her death as a homicide.
The statement from Fayetteville Police read: "On Friday, January 10, 2025, during a follow-up to the investigation of a missing and endangered person Fayetteville Police Department Detectives were led to a wooded area near Newark Ave and State Ave.
"There a deceased individual was located. The decedent has now been identified as Heather Williams, W/F, 25 years old. Her next of kin has been notified.
"The Police Department's Homicide Unit has assumed the investigation. This remains an active investigation."
Williams' sister, Mary Williams, wrote a Facebook post on Saturday in honor of the 25-year-old.
“It is with a heavy and broken heart that our family confirms the horrific news,” she said. “I pray whoever is responsible for this is held accountable and there is justice for Heather.”
Mary told WRAL that the family did not recognize the driver of the vehicle Heather entered.
She also shared that her sister had limited speech and mobility due to injuries sustained in a 2015 car accident.
“She was just so trusting and naive to what the dangers were out there,” Mary explained, adding that her sister may have connected with the individual online.
Later that same day, police located the suspect’s vehicle, but no arrests have been made. Investigators confirmed to CBS 17 that they are pursuing leads but have not yet identified a suspect.
“I just ask that people out there, if they hear anything or if they see something… somebody knows something,” Mary urged in her interview with WRAL.
“Somebody’s talked to somebody, somebody has… they slip up along the way. Somebody’s got to know something.”
Mary also expressed her family’s ongoing pain and concern for community safety.
“What happened to Heather is awful, and I wouldn’t want it to happen to anybody else. With that person still out there, still able to harm other people, it’s horrific to think about,” she told CBS 17.
Despite their grief, Mary said the family finds solace in Heather’s faith.
“We’ve found comfort in the love that Heather had for God. Through all her trials and tribulations, she never lost her faith, and I know we won’t lose ours either.”
Anyone with information has been urged to contact Fayetteville police Detective E. Alrafai at (910) 723-0327 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477).
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