Refuting claims that the sponsor in question had flown her out to a Cancun resort as preferential treatment over other Miss USA contestants, R’Bonney said she paid for the flight herself and shot a promotional video there as Miss Texas USA. R’Bonney also clarified that a viral photo of Miss USA president Crystle Stewart doing her hair—which some people have been purporting as proof of collusion—was shot after she had won the pageant.
“Unfortunately, it looks like that happened maybe before I won,” she said, “but that was my official Miss USA headshot photo shoot after I won.”
And though her crowning achievement has been questioned by skeptics, R’Bonney is keeping her head held high. “I’m very, very happy and thankful for my win,” she said. “As Miss USA, I’m just looking forward to advocating for what I love.”
E! News reached out to the Miss USA pageant but did not receive comment.
To hear more from R’Bonney, check out The Rundown on Snapchat.