Sen. John McCain emphasized that just going after chemical weapons ignores how large a problem Syria has become. | Getty McCain: Trump administration 'partially to blame' for Syrian chemical attack

Republican Sen. John McCain said Sunday the Trump administration is at least partly to blame for Syria using chemical weapons against its own people.

“I think it probably was partially to blame. And Secretary [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,” the Arizona senator said on CBS' “Face the Nation.” "As I said, again, taking this action I support and was important.”


Tillerson had said in late March that the Syrian people would determine Assad’s fate.

McCain said the Trump administration needs to have a more concrete strategy in dealing with Syria and shouldn’t treat Thursday’s U.S. missile strikes as a “one-time deal.” He emphasized that just going after chemical weapons ignores how large a problem Syria has become.

The U.S. launched 59 Tomahawk missiles at the Shayrat air base near Homs in retaliation for the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad reportedly using chemical weapons against his own people in the town of Khan Sheikhoun. The chemical attack claimed at least 80 lives.

McCain also rejected a statement by Tillerson that the U.S. needs to prioritize defeating the Islamic State in Syria before trying to stabilize the country. McCain said the U.S must also be concerned about other reported war crimes by the Assad regime, such as using barrel bombs and starving thousands of prisoners.

“So there's a lot of war crimes that are taking place. And another aspect of this that I do not agree with the secretary is that you have to just concentrate on ISIS,” McCain said. “We can walk and chew gum.”