Current Miss USA Winner Missing From Tonight’s Pageant Hours Before It Airs 

Current Miss USA titleholder Alma Cooper surprised fans and organizers just hours before the 2025 pageant, announcing she would not attend the event to crown her successor. The 23-year-old Stanford student and U.S. Army officer said her choice came after deep reflection, describing it as an act of integrity and self-respect.

Cooper Declines to Attend the 2025 Pageant

In an Instagram post on Friday, Oct. 24, Cooper revealed that she would not appear in Reno, Nevada, for the Miss USA 2025 coronation. “After much consideration, I’ve made the extremely difficult decision not to attend this year’s Miss USA pageant and crowning ceremony,” she wrote. “As I close this chapter, I do so with the knowledge that I finished what I started with integrity and my self-worth held high, just like the crown I was honored to wear.”

The statement marked a symbolic end to her reign as Miss USA 2024. Cooper, who made history as the first Afro-Latina woman to win the national title, said the decision did not come lightly. In an extended statement shared exclusively with People, she reflected on the pride and pressure that came with balancing multiple demanding roles — as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, a West Point graduate, and a postgraduate student at Stanford University.

“For the past year, I have done my absolute best to honor the prestigious title while also serving as Lieutenant Cooper in the U.S. Army,” she explained. “Despite the mental, physical, and emotional load, I worked up until the very last second to give my all because I believe that one’s character is not only built by challenges, but revealed.”

Pageant Leadership Responds with Support

Following Cooper’s announcement, Miss USA President and CEO Thom Brodeur responded with a statement of respect and disappointment. He revealed that the organization had hoped Cooper would participate in the 2025 competition “in whatever capacity she was most comfortable.” Brodeur added that while they had not received confirmation of her attendance before the event, the invitation remained open.

“We honor you, Alma. You are a queen,” Brodeur said in his Oct. 22 statement. “You are forever our Miss USA 2024.” He also emphasized that the new leadership, which took over following internal shakeups earlier this year, sought to restore trust and dignity to the organization.

Miss USA Faces Leadership Changes After Turbulent Year

The Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants have faced a year of turmoil following the unexpected resignations of the 2023 titleholders, Noelia Voigt and UmaSofia Srivastav — the first time in the organization’s 72-year history that both winners relinquished their crowns. Their departures, which came amid allegations of a toxic workplace and sexual harassment, triggered widespread criticism of former CEO Laylah Rose.

Brodeur officially replaced Rose in September, following confirmation from the Miss Universe organization that oversees both Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. In a recent statement, he denied claims of ongoing misconduct under the new leadership, promising a “safe and empowering environment” for all future contestants.

Cooper’s decision to skip the 2025 pageant underscores a moment of transition for the storied competition. While her absence will mark a break from tradition, her words signal that her reign — though shortened — ends on her terms, with her integrity and self-worth intact.

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