Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is defending himself from attacks by Democrats who say his potential independent presidential candidacy could siphon off votes from the party’s nominee and help President Trump win re-election in 2020.

“Well, I must be doing something right to create so much interest and backlash from the Democratic Party,” Schultz told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Wednesday. “Some of it is a surprise. But I said we expected to see some of the level of vitriol. But not to the extent that it’s been.”