On June 5 , 2016 , Barber competed in the Miss USA 2016 pageant in Las Vegas , Nevada . She went on to win the competition , beating out first runner-up Chelsea Hardin of Hawaii and second runner-up Emanii Davis from Georgia . She was crowned by outgoing Miss USA , Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma . She was the third Miss District of Columbia USA to win the Miss USA title and the first in fourteen years . Barber was additionally the first member of the military to win the Miss USA title and declared her intentions to promote veterans issues during her reign . Barber represented the USA at Miss Universe 2016 in Manila where she placed in the top nine
Miss USA 2016
Miss USA 2016
Deshauna Barber