Miss North Carolina USA Winner Files Defamation Suit Against Miss USA

My name is Patrick Mincy and today I want to address the lawsuit we filed on behalf of our client, Brittany Boltenhouse. Our firm, Mincy Bell Rhodes, is honored to represent Brittany as she seeks accountability following a coordinated effort to defame and falsely destroy the reputation of a bright and inspiring young woman who embodies the American dream. Today, Brittany Boltenhouse said, we filed a civil lawsuit in North Carolina Superior Court alleging defamation by the Miss USA organization, its chief executive officer, and other pageant organizers involved in the serious, very troubling events surrounding Brittany's removal as the 2026 Miss North Carolina USA. Let me be very clear about what this case is and what this case is not. This lawsuit is not about whether pageant officials had the power to remove Brittany's crown. This lawsuit is about what happened after Miss USA made that decision. As alleged in the complaint, Miss USA and the other defendants embarked upon a campaign that falsely smeared Brittany Boltenhouse as a racist, a homophobe, a transphobe, and an intolerant bigot who should be shunned from American society. The evidence will show pageant officials removed Brittany's crown because of her support for President Donald Trump, her support for conservative activist Charlie Karp, and her criticism of President Biden's transgender day of visibility. The evidence will show these accusations were not supported by facts and that Miss USA and the other defendants knowingly promoted a narrative that was false and deeply destructive to Brittany's reputation.