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An interview meant to capture the significance of Abdul El-Sayed's historic victory took a sharp turn when the Democratic senator-elect snapped at a British reporter and questioned his right to interview him simply because he could not vote in Michigan.
New Delhi,Nov 5, 2026 07:56 IST
Michigan Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed's post-election encounter with a British journalist turned into a heated spat after he questioned why he should answer questions from someone who could not vote in his state.
The confrontation drew a sharp rebuke from broadcaster Piers Morgan, who slammed the senator-elect's remarks as "pathetic" and "very patronising".
Pathetic, and very patronising, by @AbdulElSayed . He should show more respect to the UK and one of our best journalists.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 4, 2026
El-Sayed, who defeated Trump-backed Republican Mike Rogers in midterm elections on to become the first Muslim American elected to the US Senate, was approached by Sky News US correspondent James Matthews for a brief interview about his victory.
The exchange took an unexpected turn when El-Sayed asked Matthews whether he was registered to vote in Michigan. When the journalist said he was not, the senator-elect responded: "Then why would I care to have a conversation with you?"
Matthews pointed out that he was a journalist covering an election with implications far beyond the US. But El-Sayed dismissed the argument, making it clear that he was not interested in answering questions from someone who could not vote in the state.
"You know how many votes I want to get in the UK? Zero. I am never running for office in the UK ... so I actually do not care what you think or the questions you ask," he said.
The disagreement soon escalated, with both men talking over each other. When Matthews explained that he was based in the US and reported for an international audience, El-Sayed questioned Sky News' viewership in the country, claiming the channel was watched by "like five people".
The senator-elect also clapped his hands for emphasis and twice placed them on Matthews's shoulders as he asked the journalist to stop "chasing" him around.
Matthews disputed that description, responding: "I am not chasing you around, I am asking you questions."
As the exchange drew to a close, El-Sayed said he had answered all the questions he cared to address for viewers in the UK and again asked Matthews to stop following him. The journalist maintained that he was simply trying to ask questions.
A video of the confrontation quickly went viral on social media, garnering more than 11.3 million views on X within a day.
The exchange also drew criticism from British journalists, including broadcaster Piers Morgan, who described El-Sayed's conduct as "pathetic" and "very patronising". In a post on X, Morgan said the incoming senator should show greater respect towards the UK and one of its "best journalists".
Several journalists also pointed out that the outcome of US elections has implications far beyond American borders.
The exchange unfolded against the backdrop of a major political shift in Washington, with Democrats wresting control of Congress from Republicans in a setback for President Donald Trump.
Democrats flipped seven Senate seats across Kansas, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Maine, North Carolina and South Carolina, while retaining key battleground seats in Georgia and Michigan.
Democrats also gained more than two dozen House districts, including several that had backed Trump by double-digit margins in 2024.
Trump acknowledged that the ongoing war with Iran had influenced the results, pointing to voter frustration over rising fuel prices. Vice President JD Vance also blamed the conflict for the Republican losses.
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