Trump: ‘GSA Does Not Determine Who the Next President of the United States Will Be’

President Donald Trump speaks to the press in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington on Nov. 20, 2020. Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

President Donald Trump doubled-down on Tuesday after authorizing the General Services Administration (GSA) to start the transition process.

“Remember, the GSA has been terrific, and Emily Murphy has done a great job, but the GSA does not determine who the next President of the United States will be,” he wrote.

It came after speculative reports suggested that Trump was, in effect, conceding the race to Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden by allowing the GSA to take steps.

Trump said on Monday that he will not concede, citing outstanding allegations and lawsuits regarding voter fraud.

“What does GSA being allowed to preliminarily work with the Dems have to do with continuing to pursue our various cases on what will go down as the most corrupt election in American political history?” he wrote. “We are moving full speed ahead. Will never concede to fake ballots.”

The GSA and Administrator Emily Murphy sent a letter to Biden (pdf), notifying him that some resources including $6.3 million would be provided to his team under the Presidential Transition Act. Another $1 million will be provided for appointee orientation sessions and a transition directory. To qualify for the appropriations, the Biden team must meet the reporting requirements outlined in Section 6 of the Presidential Transition Act, according to the letter.

“GSA does not dictate the outcome of legal disputes and recounts, nor does it determine whether such proceedings are reasonable or justified,” Murphy wrote. “The actual winner of the presidential election will be determined by the electoral process detailed in the Constitution.”

Murphy said that she received threats over the past several weeks.

“I did, however, receive threats online, by phone, and by mail directed at my safety, my family, my staff, and even my pets in an effort to coerce me into making this determination prematurely. Even in the face of thousands of threats, I always remained committed to upholding the law,” said her letter.

Yohannes Abraham, Biden’s transition executive director, issued a statement confirming the GSA’s latest moves.

“Today’s decision is a needed step to begin tackling the challenges facing our nation, including getting the pandemic under control and our economy back on track,” he said.

The agency confirmed to The Epoch Times that it would brief some members of Congress about the process next week.

Several news outlets have declared Biden as president-elect, but The Epoch Times won’t declare a winner of the 2020 presidential election until all results are certified and any legal challenges are resolved.