Overview
- Audrey Eckert won at Reno’s Grand Sierra Resort and was crowned by Miss Universe Victoria Kjær Theilvig after Alma Cooper declined to appear, and she will represent the United States at Miss Universe on November 21 in Thailand.
- Hours before the finale, Cooper announced on Instagram that she would not return to crown a successor, calling it an “extremely difficult decision.”
- The competition shifted off network television for the first time since 1963, with the final distributed on a specialist pageantry streaming service.
- Under new leadership, Miss USA removed selection-committee provisions from contestant contracts and restored on-stage questions about current events.
- Legal disputes continue as Miss Universe owner JKN alleges former licensee VVV Global breached its contract, including a claim that Miss USA 2024 was not paid her full $100,000 salary.