Story highlights McCullough is a physical scientist in the federal government

"For one to have health care you, have to have jobs," she said

(CNN) Some of the major policy and social debates that have marked the beginning of Donald Trump's presidency took center stage when the newly crowned Miss USA argued that health care is "a privilege" for working people and that she rejected "die-hard" views of feminism.

Kara McCullough, a physical scientist at the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, was asked Sunday during the Las Vegas pageant's question-and-answer section if "affordable health care for all US citizens is a right or a privilege."

"I'm definitely going to say it's a privilege," the 25-year-old said. "As a government employee, I am granted health care and I see first-hand that for one to have health care, you have to have jobs."

"So therefore, we need to continue to cultivate this environment that we're given the opportunity to have health care as well as jobs to all American citizens worldwide," she added.

McCullough, who represented Washington, DC, in the pageant, attracted quite a bit of social media pushback from those who believe that health care is a right that should be granted to all American citizens.

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