Brittany Boltinhouse was removed weeks before the national Miss USA competition, with first runner-up Myla Hadley taking over the state title.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Brittany Boltinhouse has been stripped of her Miss North Carolina USA 2026 title just over a month after winning the crown, following a review of resurfaced information and reports linking her to social media posts containing racist language.
A-Blaize Productions, which oversees the Miss North Carolina USA competition, announced the decision Wednesday after what it described as a thorough review. The organization did not publicly detail the material it examined but said the decision was based on the full circumstances and its responsibility to protect the standards of the state title. Miss USA leadership also said the conduct under review extended beyond a single incident.
The controversy centers on social media posts reportedly published between 2017 and 2019. The North Carolina outlet NCBeat reported that posts under the username “Sosa the Stallion” repeatedly used a racial slur and were connected to Boltinhouse. Other news organizations subsequently reported the allegations. The pageant organizations did not reproduce the posts in their public announcements or independently specify each piece of material considered during their review.
Thom Brodeur, chairman and CEO of Miss USA and Miss Teen USA, said the organization does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia or language that takes away another person’s dignity. He said a pageant title carries public responsibility and that the conduct reviewed by officials did not meet the standards expected of a titleholder.
Brodeur also said he had reviewed a private statement from Boltinhouse that contained accountability and an apology. As of Friday, Boltinhouse had not issued a detailed public response addressing the specific allegations. Brodeur said accountability for the conduct should not become an excuse for cruelty toward her and urged the public to recognize her dignity while the consequences of the decision remained in place.
Boltinhouse, 27, won the Miss North Carolina USA crown June 28 after entering pageantry following a career as an entrepreneur. Before losing the title, she had been preparing to represent North Carolina in the 75th annual Miss USA competition in Miami later in August. In an interview after her state victory, she spoke about overcoming business failures, leaving college and building flooring and turf companies with her husband.
She had also emphasized her Latina background after winning the crown and described the title as meaningful for representation. Earlier profiles identified her as having Honduran roots. Her rapid rise from a first-time pageant contestant to a state titleholder drew attention before the allegations emerged and prompted organizers to reconsider her eligibility to continue representing the organization.
A-Blaize Productions said its decision came after careful consideration, conversations and consultation with the Miss USA Organization. Pageant officials stressed that people can grow and change while also saying titleholders must meet the standards attached to their roles. The organization has not publicly released a detailed investigative report showing how it authenticated each resurfaced post or describing the full review process.
Myla Hadley, who finished as first runner-up in the state competition, has assumed the Miss North Carolina USA 2026 title. She is expected to represent North Carolina at the national Miss USA competition. Hadley has expressed gratitude for the support she received following the sudden change but has not publicly focused on the allegations involving Boltinhouse.
The controversy continued to develop Friday when a member of Boltinhouse’s family told the Daily Mail, in comments subsequently reported by the New York Post, that the family wanted Boltinhouse’s side of the story heard and criticized what the relative characterized as an effort by the pageant organization to protect its image. Boltinhouse herself still had not publicly addressed the allegations in detail.
Her removal comes only weeks before the national competition and leaves Hadley with a shortened period to prepare as North Carolina’s representative. Miss USA officials have stood by the decision while emphasizing both accountability and restraint in the public response. Any further explanation from Boltinhouse or additional details from pageant officials could provide more information about the disputed posts and the process that led to her removal.
Author note: Last updated August 7, 2026.