Former acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Ron Vitiello broke his silence on President Trump pulling his nomination to lead ICE permanently, during an interview with CNN Wednesday evening.

Vitiello, who was picked to head the agency following Thomas Homan’s retirement, waited seven months for the Senate to move on his nomination when they approved him in a committee vote in March. Trump then withdrew the nomination in early April, saying, “Ron is a good man, but we’re going in a tougher direction.”