Jim Obergefell, the named plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that struck down state bans limiting marriage to heterosexual couples, said in an interview that he's “devastated” by Justice Anthony Kennedy's decision to retire from the bench.

Kennedy authored majority opinions in four key cases on LGBT rights, including Obergefell and Lawrence, which struck down state sodomy laws in the United States.

Appearing on CNN's New Day on Thursday, Obergefell said that he worried about what the news means for same-sex marriage in the United States.

“I don't think devastated is too strong a word to describe how I feel,” Obergefell said. “I'm actually feeling somewhat despondent about what this means for the LGBTQ community and marriage for millions of Americans.”

While President Donald Trump has said that he's “fine” with the Obergefell ruling, calling it “settled law,” he's also said that he supports “traditional marriage” and has pledged to pack the court with conservative judges.

“He says one thing one day and says the exact opposite the next day,” Obergefell said of the president's views on marriage equality. “I have to believe that there are people behind him pushing him that will force this issue and bring this back up for a vote or for a hearing, and that really concerns me.”

He added that as a gay man, he respected Kennedy, “because he seemed to interpret the law with compassion.”

(Related: Gay marriage foes predict Anthony Kennedy retirement will lead to Obergefell reversal.)