Miss North Carolina 2026 Brittany Boltinhouse has been stripped of her title following allegations of racist social media comments, organizers announced on August 5. The 27-year-old won the state pageant in June and was set to represent North Carolina at the national Miss USA competition.
Boltinhouse was the first married winner in North Carolina history and the first of Honduran descent to hold the crown. Reports emerged in early August in American media alleging that she wrote racist comments directed at African Americans between 2017 and 2019 under the account name Sosa the Stallion.
Miss USA Organization Response
Miss USA organization director Tom Broder confirmed on August 5 that Boltinhouse had been stripped of her title. He stated that the title is a sign of trust that the organization grants to a representative who agrees to carry the banner publicly, rather than a mere trinket.
Broder urged pageant fans to show kindness and understanding toward both Boltinhouse and runner-up Maile Hadley during this difficult time. Hadley, who finished second in the state competition, will take Boltinhouse's place in the national Miss USA contest.
Staff at the Daily Mail examined the Sosa the Stallion social media posts following the allegations. The outlet reported that its team could not find a connection between the account holder and Boltinhouse.
