Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) reacted Thursday on Twitter to an op-ed written by Russian President Vladimir Putin and published in the New York Times, saying the column insulted Americans’ intelligence.

Putin’s op-ed referenced President Barack Obama’s Tuesday address to the nation, in which the president said the United States’ desire to prevent further use of chemical weapons in Syria is “what makes us exceptional.”

“It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation,” Putin wrote.

Putin’s NYT op-ed is an insult to the intelligence of every American

— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) September 12, 2013