Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers Under Fire After Mocking Miss Vietnam's Lack of English, Issues Apology

Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers is in the hot seat after making insensitive comments about other Miss Universe contestants' lack of English.

Twenty-four-year-old Summers was captured in a video discussing some of the other women included in the annual competition, particularly Miss Vietnam H'Hen Nie and Miss Cambodia Rern Sinat. Neither Sinat nor Nie speak English.

"What do you think of Miss Vietnam Nie?" Summers asked fellow contestants Miss Australia Francesca Hung and Miss Colombia Valeria Morales in the video, which was posted on Morales' Instagram account on Wednesday.

Nebraska-born Summers went on to say Nie was "so cute" before she called attention to her inability to speak English and appeared to mock the Vietnam native's way of responding to others who spoke to her in the language. "She pretends to know so much English and then you ask her a question after having a whole conversation with her and goes [nods and smiles]," Summers said before doubling over with laughter.

Summers added: "She's adorable."

Morales asked, "How?" coercing Summers into imitating Nie once again. Then the ladies turned their attention to Sinat.

"Miss Cambodia is here and doesn't speak any English and not a single other person speaks her language. Can you imagine?" Summers asked. "Francesca said that would be so isolating and I said yes and just confusing all the time. Poor Cambodia."

Not long after the video appeared on social media, fans began blasting Summers for her comments, which were deemed ignorant and xenophobic considering she is competing in an international competition.

Summers' mother responded to the criticism and said her daughter's words were taken the wrong way. "She in no way meant any harm. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body," Desiree Summers told TMZ on Thursday.

She shot down claims her daughter was trying to mock Nie when she reenacted Nie's responses to others. "[Summers] was just recreating how Miss Vietnam acts when she doesn't understand what someone is saying. She wasn't trying to mock her," Desiree Summers said.

Sarah Rose Summers issued an apology also on Thursday.

"@MissUniverse is an opportunity for women from around the world to learn about each other's cultures, life experiences, and views. We all come from different backgrounds and can grow alongside one another," she wrote. "In a moment where I intended to admire the courage of a few of my sisters, I said something that I now realize can be perceived as not respectful, and I apologize."

She continued: "My life, friendships, and career revolve around me being a compassionate and empathetic woman. I would never intend to hurt another. I am grateful for opportunities to speak with Nat, Miss Cambodia, and H'Hen, Miss Vietnam, directly about this experience. These are the moments that matter most to me."

Miss Universe 2018 takes place in Thailand on December 16.

See a few reactions from Sarah Rose Summers' comments below.