Trump-Biden transition updates: Trump continues to tout he won election at Ga. rally

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger at the State Capitol in Atlanta defended Gabriel Sterling's impassioned and angered plea to Trump Tuesday and said while he may not have used the same language, he was aware of what Sterling was going to say and that he had the "full support" of the secretary and his office.

"He spoke with passion, and he spoke the truth, and it's about time that more people are out there speaking the truth," Raffensperger said. 

Sterling, the state's voting system implementation manager, on Tuesday slammed Trump and GOP Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Purdue for what he deemed their silence on failing to condemn harassment and death threats against election workers amid rampant and largely unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud as the state continues a third count of the presidential vote.

Sterling called on Trump to "step up" and say, "Stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence," adding, "Someone's gonna get hurt. Someone's gonna get shot. Someone's gonna get killed."

“All of you who’ve not said a damn word are complicit in this," he said, detailing death threats one Georgia election worker has faced.

A more mild-mannered Raffenspeger also chastised Trump Wednesday for how he responded on Twitter to Sterling's pleas for him to condemn violence.

"Even after this office request that President Trump trying to quell the violent rhetoric, being born out of his continuing claims of winning the states where he obviously lost, he tweeted out, 'Expose the massive voter fraud in Georgia.' This is exactly the kind of language that is at the base of the growing threat environment for election workers who are simply doing their jobs," Raffensperger said. 

-ABC News' Quinn Scanlan

After debuting his nominees to lead economic policy posts in the incoming administration Tuesday, Biden is slated to participate in a virtual roundtable with workers and small business owners affected by the coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis in Wilmington, Delaware, Wednesday afternoon.

For the third day he and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will also receive the President’s Daily Brief, following a 16-day standoff with the Trump administration holding up federally-allocated resources to aid in the transition. 

Although Trump still publicly refuses to concede the loss -- vowing to press forward with legal battles despite a string of losses -- at a White House holiday party Tuesday night, he acknowledged his potential departure from the White House by teasing running again in 2024.

"It's been an amazing four years. We are trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I’ll see you in four years," the president can be heard saying on video of the event reviewed by ABC News. Multiple sources also confirmed to ABC News that the president made the remarks.

In advance of Trump leaving office, sources tell ABC News the president is considering doling out preemptive pardons to members of his inner circle. Names for consideration include the president’s three oldest children, his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani -- who has denied asking for one -- and son-in-law Jared Kushner.

It all comes as Attorney General William Barr told the Associated Press Tuesday that the Justice Department has uncovered no evidence of widespread voter fraud that would tip the results of the presidential election -- directly undercutting allegations being made by Trump and his legal team.

At a Christmas party at the White House Tuesday night, President Donald Trump teased running for president again in 2024 while noting that he's still "trying to do another four years."

"It's been an amazing four years. We are trying to do another four years. Otherwise, I’ll see you in four years," the president can be heard saying on video of the event reviewed by ABC News.

Multiple sources also confirmed to ABC News that the president made the remarks at the White House party.

The president also falsely told the group of mostly Republican National Committee members gathered for the party that he won the election, calling it rigged and notably saying he will "always" call it rigged.

"It's certainly an unusual year. We won an election. But they don’t like that ... I call it a rigged election, and I always will," Trump said.

Since losing reelection, Trump has privately been telling advisers that he’s considering a 2024 campaign, as ABC News has previously reported.

The indoor party notably takes place as COVID-19 cases surge around the country and, according to the video, many people inside were not wearing masks despite the White House saying they would be mandatory.

Stephanie Grisham, the chief of staff and spokeswoman for the first lady, told ABC News in a statement on Nov. 22 that "masks will be required."

"The People’s House will celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah while providing the safest environment possible. This includes smaller guest lists, masks will be required and available, social distancing encouraged while on the White House grounds, and hand sanitizer stations throughout the State Floor," Grisham said. "Guests will enjoy food individually plated by chefs at plexiglass-protected food stations. All passed beverages will be covered. All service staff will wear masks and gloves to comply with food safety guidelines. Attending the parties will be a very personal choice. It is a longstanding tradition for people to visit and enjoy the cheer and iconic decor of the annual White House Christmas celebrations."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have advised indoor holiday gatherings should be small and only include close family and friends who are part of your household.

Both the White House and the first lady's office declined to comment on the White House event.

--ABC News' Will Steakin, Katherine Faulders and Ben Gittleson

Gabriel Sterling, the statewide voting system implementation manager in Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger's office, unleashed on the president from Atlanta Tuesday afternoon, as well as GOP Sens. David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler, chastising them for not forcefully condemning threats of violence against election officials, making several direct pleas to Trump in his remarks. 

"Mr. President, it looks like you likely lost the state of Georgia. We're investigating, there's always a possibility, I get it, and you have the rights to go through the course. What you don't have the ability to do -- and need to step up and say this -- is stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence. Someone's gonna get hurt. Someone's gonna get shot. Someone's gonna get killed," Sterling said.

"Everything we're seeing right now, there's not a path. Be the bigger man here, and stop -- step in, tell your supporters, don't be violent, don't intimidate. All that's wrong. It's un-American," he continued.

Sterling said that Trump calling Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger "an enemy of the people" on Thanksgiving "helped opened the floodgates to this kind of crap."

"You have to be responsible in your rhetoric," he said. "That shouldn't be too much to ask for people who asked for us to give them responsibility." 

Explaining his anger, Sterling said that the "straw that broke the camel's back" was when someone took a video of a 20-year-old contractor working for Dominion in Gwinnett County claiming it showed him manipulating election data, but that was not was he was doing. He said the man is getting death threats -- that there's been "a noose put out saying he should be hung for treason" -- and since he has a unique name, people have tracked down his family, too and they're also being harassed. 

"Mr. President, you have not condemned these actions or this language. Senators, you have not condemned this language or these actions. This has to stop. We need you to step up, and if you're gonna take a position of leadership, show some," Sterling said. "All of you who’ve not said a damn word are complicit in this." br/>
-ABC News' Quinn Scanlan