The White House pulled President Donald Trump’s nominee for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just hours before his confirmation hearing was scheduled to begin.

Former U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon, from Florida, was unaware of the change until arriving in Washington, D.C., after the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions canceled the hearing, which was scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern on Thursday. Though no reason was given for the removal of Weldon’s nomination, there is speculation that the White House did not believe he would get the votes necessary to confirm him.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who was confirmed as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, said he didn’t believe Weldon was ready for the role.

Weldon, a medical doctor for 40 years, describes himself as “pro-life” and is notable for introducing the Weldon Amendment, a federal law that prevents taxpayer money from going to organizations that discriminate against pro-life organizations and healthcare providers. During his 14 years in Congress, he also introduced legislation that would ban human cloning and advocated against the removal of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube. He had a 100% pro-life voting record and called the ‘partial-birth’ D&X abortion procedure “barbaric.”

READ: Conscience Rights: What protections do pro-life health care professionals have?

Weldon told Axios that he had been excited to work with Kennedy and to serve the country again, and that the cancelation of his nomination came as “a shock.”

“It is a shock, but, you know, in some ways, it’s relief. Government jobs demand a lot of you, and if God doesn’t want me in it, I’m fine with that.” He added that he planned to “get on an airplane… and I’m going to go home and I’m going to see patients on Monday.”

The Department of Health and Human Services did not comment on when Trump might choose a nominee to replace Weldon.

The White House pulled President Donald Trump’s nominee for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just hours before his confirmation hearing was scheduled to begin.

Former U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon, from Florida, was unaware of the change until arriving in Washington, D.C., after the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions canceled the hearing, which was scheduled for 10 a.m. Eastern on Thursday. Though no reason was given for the removal of Weldon’s nomination, there is speculation that the White House did not believe he would get the votes necessary to confirm him.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, who was confirmed as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services, said he didn’t believe Weldon was ready for the role.

Weldon, a medical doctor for 40 years, describes himself as “pro-life” and is notable for introducing the Weldon Amendment, a federal law that prevents taxpayer money from going to organizations that discriminate against pro-life organizations and healthcare providers. During his 14 years in Congress, he also introduced legislation that would ban human cloning and advocated against the removal of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube. He had a 100% pro-life voting record and called the ‘partial-birth’ D&X abortion procedure “barbaric.”

READ: Conscience Rights: What protections do pro-life health care professionals have?

Weldon told Axios that he had been excited to work with Kennedy and to serve the country again, and that the cancelation of his nomination came as “a shock.”

“It is a shock, but, you know, in some ways, it’s relief. Government jobs demand a lot of you, and if God doesn’t want me in it, I’m fine with that.” He added that he planned to “get on an airplane… and I’m going to go home and I’m going to see patients on Monday.”

The Department of Health and Human Services did not comment on when Trump might choose a nominee to replace Weldon.