Sky News backs reporter who clashed with Abdul El-Sayed
Sky News threw its weight behind its US correspondent James Matthews after a tense confrontation with Michigan’s newly elected Democratic senator Abdul El-Sayed went viral, attracting more than 12mn views on X.
The argument took place outside a polling station in Detroit on Tuesday, 3 November, during the US midterm elections. El-Sayed refused to answer Matthews’ questions because the journalist was British and could not vote in Michigan.
Michigan’s Democratic candidate for Senate Abdul El-Sayed confronted @jamesmatthewsky, telling him he wouldn’t answer his questions as he wants "zero" votes in the UK. Watch the heated exchange between the two. Watch our live coverage of the US midterms➡️ https://t.co/hrELyhg17W
— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 3, 2026
The politician questioned why he should speak to someone who was not among his potential voters.
When Matthews pointed out that Sky News reached viewers internationally, El-Sayed dismissed its American audience, claiming that only about five people watched the channel in the US.
Read more: ‘Mohammed’ for Trump, Senator for Michigan: Who is Abdul el-Sayed, really?
The senator-elect also placed his hands on Matthews’ shoulders and accused him of following him around. Matthews denied the accusation, saying he was simply trying to ask questions.
How Sky News and James Matthews Responded
In a statement to Variety, Sky News backed its correspondent, arguing that American elections matter to audiences far beyond the United States.
Sky News added that its coverage reached millions of viewers across 138 countries and that US election results had consequences for people worldwide.
Matthews later described the confrontation in a column published by Sky News on 5 November.
Read more: US midterms: Top 5 historic firsts from Black female Senator to Indigenous Governor
According to the journalist, his team had struggled to arrange an interview with El-Sayed throughout the campaign. When the politician unexpectedly approached them outside the polling station, Matthews said he had not even managed to ask a question before El-Sayed began challenging him.
Read more: Democrats swept House and Senate races. What would their Central Asia policy look like?
What Abdul El-Sayed Said About the Incident
During the confrontation, El-Sayed insisted that his responsibility was to Michigan voters rather than British audiences.
El-Sayed had not issued a separate public statement addressing the viral video as of 5 November, according to the reports reviewed.
The confrontation drew further criticism from British commentators, including broadcaster Piers Morgan. Sky News journalist Alex Crawford supported Matthews, arguing that US elections affect international audiences regardless of whether they can vote in them.
Read more: Tashkent-born Sergio Gor says it’s ‘total b*****it’ that he wants Rubio’s job
El-Sayed defeated Republican Mike Rogers in Michigan’s Senate race, becoming the first Muslim elected to the US Senate. The election followed a difficult campaign in which he faced attacks over his religion and political views.
