Maura Higgins was left fuming after she was betrayed by her US Traitors co-star Rob Rausch, who she had agreed to split the prize money with if they made it to the final
10:05, 28 Feb 2026Updated 10:16, 28 Feb 2026
Co. Longford’s Maura Higgins on The Traitors US.
Maura Higgins has labelled a US Traitors co-star an “absolute a***hole” following a crushing betrayal. The former Love Islander has emerged as a standout contestant on the American edition of The Traitors and secured a place in the final, though ultimately failed to walk away with the prize money.
Fellow Love Islander Rob Rausch, from Love Island USA, also reached the final. He and Maura had formed a strong bond throughout the series and struck a deal to collaborate and share the winnings, which totalled $220,800, between themselves.
Yet, as the competition neared its conclusion, Rob disclosed that he was a traitor. Maura appeared utterly shellshocked and seemed momentarily speechless.
She eventually managed: “No… are you joking?”.
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Rob confirmed he’d been operating as a traitor from the very beginning, prompting Maura to bend forward in complete disbelief. “Oh my god,” she exclaimed.
“I’m so stupid. I was so fooled by you.”
Her shock quickly turned to fury as she snapped: “You absolute a***hole! You pinky promised!”.
After Rob awkwardly acknowledged that he had indeed pinky promised, the Irish star branded him a “piece of work’ and said that because she was “and declared that his deception had left her feeling “embarrassed” because she’d been “so convinced.”
Rob attempted to justify his actions but an irate Maura cut him off, demanding: “Don’t speak. Please stop talking. You’re never going to have a girlfriend after this, you’re such a good liar!” Eventually, she conceded that she would have acted identically and was “just in shock” because she “actually thought [she] was winning”. Viewers adored the theatrical exchange between Maura and Rob, branding her “iconic” for her response.
(Image: Penske Media via Getty Images)
One commented: “‘You pinky promised’ is my favourite line from the episode.”
Another remarked: “This has to be the best reaction to someone being a traitor.”
And a third stated: “Maura you have made yourself a meme for the rest of your life.”
Supporters have also been suggesting that Maura and Rob would make an ideal pairing, reports the Mirror. When questioned about this on the American reality chat show Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, she responded: “Yeah I saw, there’s a lot of videos on TikTok at the moment.”
She noted that viewers would need to watch the programme to discover if it materialised, though it appears from Maura’s response to Rob’s victory that it didn’t.
Maura appears to be attempting to break into America, as she made a surprise appearance at the Golden Globes, where she mingled with Hollywood’s elite. Though she didn’t appear to have a specific reason for attending the ceremony, she commanded attention in a floor-length black gown and dramatic golden cape.
At the ceremony, her fellow Irishwoman Jessie Buckley secured a Best Actress award for her performance in Hamnet. She claimed the same accolade at the BAFTAs and has emerged as a strong contender to collect the Oscar.
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