Miss Universe 2024 Winner Victoria Kjaer Theilvig Attends Trump’s Inauguration

Just two months after snagging the coveted tiara, the Danish beauty queen made headlines again – this time for attending Donald Trump’s inauguration.

The Miss Universe Instagram account dropped the news with a post featuring Theilvig at the ceremony. The caption read, "Our Miss Universe @victoriaakjaer at the inauguration ceremony of @realdonaldtrump, former owner of the Miss Universe Organization from 1996-2015. 👑"  

Seeing the current Miss Universe casually attending Trump’s inauguration feels like an unspoken truce with its past. To me, it’s a good sign of maturity for the brand, who tried to detach themselves from Trump and allowed biological men to compete in previous competitions.  

For context, Theilvig, a 21-year-old marketing graduate from Denmark, made history as the first blonde winner in two decades and the first Danish woman to ever claim the crown. On November 16, 2024, Theilvig was crowned Miss Universe in Mexico City. Theilvig is a former pro dancer with plans to become a lawyer, advocating for animal rights and mental health.  

After Theilvig’s win, X user @TheFreelyAshley shared screenshots of backlash, claiming, "Viewers of the Miss Universe beauty pageant are outraged, claiming the winner was chosen due to racism." Others took shots at her appearance. One commenter channeled their inner Mean Girls energy, saying, “Denmark: blonde but bland.” Another snarked, “Hope that crown feels heavy with regret.”

But not everyone was reaching for their pitchforks. Many rallied behind Theilvig, especially fans who saw her win as a comeback moment for blonde women in media. User @carolinecwilder gushed, “Skinny blonde white girl? Oh, we are so back 💁🏼‍♀️👑✨.”

Some even tied her victory to Trump, calling it “the Trump Effect.” One user quipped, "This is Miss Denmark, who was just crowned Miss Universe. It’s the Trump Effect in action. Had Kamala won, the prize would’ve gone to a 40-year-old transgender.”

The last blonde Miss Universe was Russia’s Oxana Fedorova in 2002. Since then, the title has largely gone to women of color from places like the Philippines, South Africa, and India – so calling the competition results “racist” is definitely a stretch. Every winner brings something unique to the role, and Theilvig is no exception.  

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