Stoker's was a controversial figure while he headed up the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 9 that's based in San Francisco.
On Wednesday, he was abruptly ordered to resign. He refused, so he was fired.
EPA brass, according to Stoker, characterized the firing as "nothing personal."
He clashed early and often with California officials over water and air quality and federal highway funds.
The former Santa Barbara County Supervisor gained attention for starting the "lock her up" chant about Hillary Clinton at the 2016 Republican National Convention.
"If it was driven by the president and the White House, I'm shocked," he said. "I'd sure love to know what the reason was for it, because I've been a tried and true and faithful presidential appointee."
Stoker wouldn't say more.
"There are specifics that I have problems with, internal to the EPA, that someday I'm going to talk about. But that someday isn't going to happen until President Trump is no longer the president, because I'm old-fashioned. I was appointed by the president, and I'm loyal to the president."
Stoker admitted to KCBS Radio he did at times have conflicts with higher ranking officials in the EPA. He was criticized for excessive travel, and for hardly ever showing up at the EPA's regional office in San Francisco. He spent just 20% of his time at that office and eventually got his post moved to Southern California, closer to his home in Carpenteria.
But, he said, none of that explains why he was fired.
"It doesn't rise to a level of doing what they did. To completely take me out, tell me I was done," Stoker said. "Nothing makes sense."
Stoker faithfully oversaw Trump's environmental policies in the Pacific Southwest, and he's determined to stay true to the commander in chief.