Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain said rhetoric used by the Trump Administration influenced the Syrian government’s recent chemical weapons attack that killed about 80 civilians — and prompted President Donald Trump to order a retaliatory strike.

“I think it probably was partially to blame,” McCain said on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday. “And Secretary [of State Rex] Tillerson basically saying the same thing after kind of contradicting himself and then saying the same thing argues vigorously for a plan and a strategy. As I said again, taking this action I support and was important.”

McCain was alluding to recent statements made by Tillerson, who said the “longer term status of President [Bashar] Assad would be decided by the Syrian people,” during a press conference in Turkey in late March.