CNN anchor Chris Cuomo apologized Thursday for a recent tweet that appeared to call on Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) to address a bubbling conspiracy theory about her eligibility to run for president.

“I screwed up,” Cuomo said of his since-deleted tweet that read, “hopefully there will be no games where the issue keeps changing for righty accusers...and...the legit info abt Harris comes out to deal with the allegation ASAP. The longer there is no proof either way, the deeper the effect.”

He told The View he was simply trying to “get ahead” of the latest “birther” conspiracy after letting the rumors about President Obama—fueled by Donald Trump—devolve to the point where he had to prove he was a citizen. “If you have an accusation, put up or shut up,” Cuomo added. “Kamala Harris shouldn’t have to go through this.” Harris was born in Oakland, California, to parents who immigrated to the U.S. from India and Jamaica.