On Election Day, November 3, 2026, Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed had a heated, viral confrontation with Sky News U.S. correspondent James Matthews outside a Detroit polling station. The exchange, captured on video and shared by Sky News, quickly amassed millions of views—reports cite figures exceeding 8 million and later over 12 million on X within days—drawing widespread attention hours before El-Sayed’s victory.
El-Sayed approached Matthews and asked whether the journalist was registered to vote in Michigan. When Matthews replied that he was not, El-Sayed responded, “So why would I care to have a conversation with you?” and pressed him to explain. Identifying himself as a journalist, Matthews was told: “You’re a journalist in the U.K. You know how many votes I want to get in the U.K.? Zero. I am never running for office in the U.K. So I absolutely do not care what you think or the questions you ask.”
Matthews noted that U.S. elections matter globally and that El-Sayed was running for the Senate. El-Sayed retorted by questioning the country and audience involved, dismissing Sky News’ relevance in the United States: “Sky News is not viewed in the United States of America. It’s only viewed in the U.K. … Like five people.” He placed his hands on Matthews’ shoulders during parts of the exchange, clapped for emphasis at one point, and accused the reporter of “chasing me around,” asking him to stop. Matthews replied that he was not chasing him but simply asking questions.
Sky News stood by its correspondent. In a statement, the network said it was “proud of our correspondent James Matthews, who was doing his job: covering the election campaign and asking straightforward questions on behalf of our audiences,” adding that U.S. election outcomes have global ramifications, including in the U.K. and the many countries where Sky News is consumed.
Matthews later described the encounter in his own account, noting the difficulty in securing prior access to El-Sayed and that the politician began questioning him before he could ask his own. “What ensued, in public, wasn’t pretty,” he wrote. “For a politician typically sure-footed in his dealings with the media, it felt like a misstep.” He also remarked that the viral reach of the clip far exceeded the “five people” El-Sayed had dismissed as Sky News’ U.S. audience.
The clip prompted criticism from some British journalists. Broadcaster Piers Morgan called the behavior “pathetic” and “very patronising,” urging more respect for the U.K. and its journalists. Others highlighted the physical contact, with one describing it as “weird.”
El-Sayed went on to defeat Republican Mike Rogers and become the first Muslim American elected to the U.S. Senate. The incident underscored tensions over media access, the international interest in U.S. politics, and El-Sayed’s combative approach to questioning on the campaign trail.
SOURCES:
Sky News Stands By James Matthews Following Abdul El-Sayed Exchange
Abdul El-Sayed confronts Sky News reporter before Michigan Senate win | Fox News
Abdul El-Sayed dismisses British Sky News journalist during heated exchange
Abdul El-Sayed places his hands on a reporter during a hostile confrontation hours before his election victory – Total News
Abdul El-Sayed states ‘I don’t care about the UK’ in heated clash before Midterms | World | News | Express.co.uk
Abdul El-Sayed snaps at UK journo after midterms win, Piers Morgan tears in – India Today
