Brittany Boltinhouse, the 27-year-old former Miss North Carolina USA 2026, filed a defamation lawsuit Monday against the Miss USA organization and related parties. She alleges that officials dethroned her not for the stated reasons of past social media conduct but because of her conservative Christian views.

Boltinhouse was crowned in June after winning the state pageant. Organizers removed her title on August 5 following what they described as a thorough review of recently surfaced information. The Miss USA organization stated it does not tolerate racism, homophobia, transphobia, or language that strips any person of their dignity.

In the lawsuit, Boltinhouse claims pageant officials used decade-old social media posts and her public support for figures including President Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk to falsely portray her as racist, homophobic, and bigoted. She further alleges they hid the true motive, which she says centered on her identity as a conservative Christian woman. The complaint references recorded conversations with state officials and seeks damages for lost future income, reputational harm, and emotional distress.

Boltinhouse has pointed to her opposition to former President Joe Biden’s 2024 Transgender Day of Visibility proclamation and other expressions of her views as factors in the decision. She attended a Trump speech on the National Mall on January 6, 2021, and posted support for various conservative positions ahead of the 2024 election.

The filing comes on the eve of the Miss USA pageant, which begins Monday in Miami. Boltinhouse had been scheduled to compete nationally before her dethroning. Pageant representatives have maintained that politics and religion played no role, emphasizing conduct standards instead.

The case highlights ongoing tensions over viewpoint discrimination in public-facing competitions and organizations. Boltinhouse’s legal team argues the dethroning amounted to a cover-up that damaged her reputation and career prospects in modeling and public appearances.