Former Miss North Carolina USA Claims Faith Led to Crown Loss

The woman who held the Miss North Carolina USA 2026 crown until this week has broken her silence, asserting that her religious and political convictions were the true cause of her dethroning rather than the allegations that prompted the pageant organization's action.

Brittany Boltinhouse sat for an interview with Carolina Journal editor-in-chief Donna King that was published Friday, offering her first public comments since losing her title. She directly challenged the narrative surrounding her removal from the position.

"I believe and think I was stripped from my title because of my political stance and my belief system as a conservative Christian woman," Boltinhouse told Carolina Journal.

Boltinhouse identified herself as a member of the Mormon faith and emphasized her values. "I'm proud of my standards. I'm a proud conservative woman, but a Christian woman. I'm a God-fearing woman," she stated in the interview, according to TMZ.com.

The controversy centers on social media posts that allegedly surfaced from between 2017 and 2019, which reportedly contained racist language including use of a racial slur. Boltinhouse did not address these specific allegations during her interview with Carolina Journal.

When asked about the circumstances of her dethroning, Boltinhouse cited limitations on what she could discuss. She indicated that a "confidentiality clause" prevented her from providing details about the situation. Despite this constraint, she characterized the experience in unexpectedly positive terms.

"I see the light at the end of the tunnel and I know who I am and I know what I can become," Boltinhouse said, according to TMZ.com. She described the ordeal as a "blessing in disguise" while acknowledging it had been an "emotional rollercoaster" that placed her family under public scrutiny.

Addressing whether supporting Donald Trump could be considered disqualifying in pageant competitions, Boltinhouse offered an uncertain response. "All I can say from the information that I have today and what I believe and I think is honestly I don't know," she told Carolina Journal, according to TMZ.com.

The Miss North Carolina USA organization announced Wednesday that it was revoking Boltinhouse's crown and transferring the title to runner-up Myla Hadley. The decision came from the state competition organizers in coordination with the national Miss USA organization.

Thom Brodeur, chairman and CEO of Miss USA, released a statement accompanying the announcement but did not reference specific allegations against Boltinhouse. The statement emphasized organizational values, declaring that Miss USA "does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia nor language that strips any person of their dignity."

The situation has drawn attention to the intersection of personal beliefs, social media history, and the standards expected of pageant titleholders. Pageant organizations have increasingly emphasized diversity, inclusion, and social responsibility as core values in recent years.

Boltinhouse's dethroning marks a significant moment for the North Carolina pageant community, with Hadley now assuming the responsibilities and opportunities that come with representing the state at the national Miss USA competition.