Former Miss North Carolina USA Brittany Boltinhouse has spoken publicly after losing her 2026 state title. She said she is at peace with the decision but suggested that her conservative Christian views may have played a role in what happened.
The Miss USA Organization announced Boltinhouse’s removal on Aug. 5. The group said the decision followed conduct that did not meet its standards. The decision was made with Boltinhouse, her state directors and the organization, according to the announcement.
The organization did not give full details about the conduct that led to the decision.
Miss USA chairman and CEO Thom Brodeur also addressed the issue. In a statement, he said the organization does not support racism, homophobia or transphobia. He also said it rejects language that takes away a person’s dignity.
Boltinhouse gave her first public comments about the case during an interview with Carolina Journal editor-in-chief Donna King. The interview was posted on YouTube on Aug. 7.
During the interview, Boltinhouse was asked if she believed her conservative political and social views had hurt her during the pageant.
She said she was proud of her beliefs.
“I’m proud of my standards,” Boltinhouse said. She described herself as a conservative woman and a Christian woman. She also said that her faith is an important part of who she is.
Boltinhouse said she could not discuss many details about the decision. She said she had signed an agreement that included a confidentiality clause.
Because of that agreement, she said she was not allowed to speak about some of the events that led to her removal.
Despite the loss of her title, Boltinhouse said she was at peace with the situation. She said she was also glad that she was the person facing the pressure instead of another young woman.
She spoke about the public attention and the effect the situation has had on her family. Still, she said she believes she will move forward.
Boltinhouse also said she knows who she is and believes she can still build a strong future.
The interview later turned to politics and pageant rules. King asked Boltinhouse if she thought being a conservative could be a problem in the pageant world.
Boltinhouse said she did not believe being conservative should disqualify anyone. She said people in the United States have the right to hold conservative views.
She was then asked about her support for President Donald Trump. King asked if Boltinhouse believed support for Trump could be seen as a reason for disqualification by the pageant system.
Boltinhouse did not give a clear answer.
“I don’t know,” she said several times. She added that she could only speak based on the information she had at the time.
Boltinhouse also said she did not feel that she had been given enough information about the decision.
The Miss USA Organization has not publicly linked Boltinhouse’s removal to her political views. Its statement focused on conduct standards and the values expected from titleholders.
Following Boltinhouse’s removal, Myla Hadley took over the Miss North Carolina USA 2026 title. Hadley had first placed as the runner-up in the state pageant.
Hadley will now represent North Carolina at the Miss USA competition on Aug. 27.
The change has placed new attention on the duties and conduct rules expected of pageant titleholders. It has also raised questions about the balance between personal beliefs and public conduct while holding a major pageant title.
For now, Boltinhouse has not shared further details about the events behind her removal. Her comments suggest that the confidentiality agreement limits what she can say publicly.
The Miss USA Organization has also not released a full account of the conduct issue. As a result, the exact events that led to the decision remain unclear.
