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Rep. Matt Gaetz apologized late Tuesday for comments many regarded as threatening to Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former personal attorney who is set to testify Wednesday in front of the House Oversight Committee.

“While it is important 2 create context around the testimony of liars like Michael Cohen, it was NOT my intent to threaten, as some believe I did. I’m deleting the tweet,” Gaetz wrote on Twitter.

The Florida Republican and Trump ally came under fire for a tweet earlier Tuesday that asked Cohen, “Do your wife & father-in-law know about your girlfriends? Maybe tonight would be a good time for that chat. I wonder if she’ll remain faithful when you’re in prison. She’s about to learn a lot…”

Gaetz later defended his comments, telling reporters, “We’re witness testing not witness tampering. And when witnesses come before Congress their truthfulness and veracity are in question and we have the opportunity to test them.”

Cohen, who pleaded guilty to lying to Congress, is expected to testify Wednesday about Trump’s knowledge of leaked Democratic emails and negotiations for Trump Tower Moscow during the campaign, along with the hush-money payments to two women who alleged affairs with Trump that led to Cohen’s guilty plea for campaign finance violations.

Gaetz’ apology was in response to a statement from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., who had issued an admonishment after Gaetz’ initial tweet to members about comments that “can adversely affect the ability of house committees to obtain the truthful and complete information necessary to fulfill their duties” — comments she said should be monitored by the Ethics Committee.