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Miss USA 2024: Alma Cooper's victory marred by answer to final question

Miss USA 2024 winner Alma Cooper will represent the United States in the 2024 Miss Universe Pageant

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Three days after Addie Carver of Mississippi was crowned Miss Teen USA, a second queen was crowned live on The CW during the 2024 Miss USA Pageant.

Here's how the final five fared after the swimsuit competition, evening gown round, and more dramatic eliminations than a 'RuPaul's Drag Race' episode:

FIFTH PLACE | Macy Hudson (Miss Ohio)

FOURTH PLACE | Christell Foote (Miss Tennessee)

THIRD PLACE | Danika Christopherson (Miss Oklahoma)

SECOND PLACE | Connor Perry (Miss Kentucky)

Alma Cooper of Michigan was crowned Miss USA in 2024. The finalists at Miss USA 2024 were asked, "How can we bridge the gap between different cultures and foster understanding and respect?" Alma Cooper's response was, "As the daughter of a migrant worker, a proud Afro-Latina woman, and an officer of the United States Army, I'm living the American dream."

She added, "If there's anything that my life and my mother have taught me, it's that your circumstances never define your destiny." However, fans have expressed their disappointment on social media, voicing dissatisfaction with the outcome.

On X, one fan wrote, "Sorry… Miss Michigan doesn’t even answer the question and just repeats her blurb she said during her last walk, and WINS? Truly Ohio had the best answer." Another fan added, "Okay #MissUSA obviously doesn’t care about the final question. Ohio fourth runner up (the clear winner), Kentucky runner up with that answer! Michigan winning with that shaky rehearsed response!"

One fan complained, "Michigan had the most rehearsed answer I’ve ever heard." Another fan wrote, "The judges sorry as hell. Results made no sense. Decent and satisfying winner but there was better."

One critic noted, "I just waisted 2 hours of my life for Michigan to be the one crowned?" Another added, "Sorry… Miss Michigan doesn’t even answer the question and just repeats her blurb she said during her last walk, and WINS? Truly Ohio had the best answer."

Who crowned the Miss USA 2024 winner?

Alma was crowned by Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii, the runner-up from the previous year. Alma Cooper will represent the United States in the 2024 Miss Universe Pageant.

Who is Miss USA 2024 winner Alma Cooper?

Alma is a Knight-Hennessy Scholar currently pursuing a master’s degree in statistics with a focus on data science at Stanford University. She graduated with honors from the United States Military Academy and is actively developing her leadership skills.

Alma began her research on nutrition and food insecurity at West Point, where she also ensured that 4,400 cadets were accounted for during emergencies and crises. She continues her work on these critical issues at Stanford.

Having recently won the title of Miss Michigan, Alma has also challenged conventional notions of what it means to be a scholar, a soldier, and a pageant winner. Alma says Stanford encourages her to strive for excellence in all endeavors, which strengthens her conviction that the only limits we face are those we choose to acknowledge.

Who was on the selection committee of Miss USA 2024?

This year's selection committee included several well-known figures: Scheana Shay, star of Bravo's 'Vanderpump Rules', CEO of Anastasia Beverly Hills Anastasia Soare, singer of the 'One Tree Hill' theme song Gavin DeGraw, Carole Gist, Miss USA 1990, and Miss USA 1994 Lu Parker.