Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, Sharply Rebukes Donald Trump: 'Election Was Not Stolen'

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp had harsh words for former President Donald Trump as he continues to claim election fraud: "The future of our country is at stake"

Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has blasted former President Donald Trump for continuing to fan the flames of election fraud.

Even as Trump and 18 of his allies face an indictment Monday stemming from their alleged efforts to overturn his 2020 U.S. presidential election loss in Fulton County, Georgia, the latest comments from Kemp hint that Georgia Republicans may not be sympathetic to Trump moving forward.

"The 2020 election in Georgia was not stolen," Governor Kemp, 59, posted to his 160,000 followers on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Earlier this week, Georgia's grand jury filed charges against Trump as part of a fourth criminal investigation, shortly after prosecutors presented evidence regarding the former president's alleged efforts to overturn the state's election results that helped cement Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States.

Related: Donald Trump Indicted for Attempting to Overturn 2020 Election Results in Georgia

"For nearly three years now, anyone with evidence of fraud has failed to come forward - under oath - and prove anything in a court of law. Our elections in Georgia are secure, accessible, and fair and will continue to be as long as I am governor," Governor Kemp continued in his social media post.

Trump faces 13 felony counts: racketeering (violation of the Georgia RICO Act); three counts of solicitation of violation of oath by a public officer; conspiracy to commit impersonating a public officer; two counts of conspiracy to commit forgery in the first degree; two counts of conspiracy to commit false statements and writings; conspiracy to commit filing false documents; filing false documents; and two counts of false statements and writings.

The Fulton County charges bring Trump to a total of 91 criminal counts he's been indicted on this year, several of which come with recommended prison time. If convicted of violating the Georgia RICO Act — classified as a "serious felony" — he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years.

"The future of our country is at stake in 2024 and that must be our focus," Kemp concluded his post, which was prompted by a message Trump posted to his social media platform Truth Social, in which he hinted at a “Large, Complex, Detailed, but Irrefutable” report coming at a press conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, next week.

"A Large, Complex, Detailed but Irrefutable REPORT on the Presidential Election Fraud which took place in Georgia is almost complete & will be presented by me at a major News Conference at 11:00 A.M. on Monday of next week in Bedminster, New Jersey," Trump posted online. "Based on the results of this CONCLUSIVE Report, all charges should be dropped against me & others - There will be a complete EXONERATION! They never went after those that Rigged the Election. They only went after those that fought to find the RIGGERS!"

Kemp has served as the 83rd governor of the Peach State since 2019. During that time, he butted heads with then-President Trump as he opposed many COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, including stay-at-home orders. In April 2020, Kemp incurred the wrath of Trump when he lifted many COVID-19 restrictions in the state to allow businesses to operate, despite opposing federal guidelines at the time.

Kemp announced that gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, barbershops, cosmetologists, hair designers, nail care artists, aestheticians, and massage therapists would be allowed to start taking customers under "minimum basic operations" during the ongoing pandemic.

Related: Georgia Governor Sues Atlanta Over City's Mask Rule as Mayor Vows: 'We Will See Them in Court'

"I said [to Kemp], 'You're not in the guidelines ... but I want people to be safe and I want the people in Georgia to be safe,' " Trump told ABC News at the time.

"I don't want this thing to flare up because you decided to do something that is not in the guidelines," Trump continued, adding that he "went to Deborah [Birx] and Dr. Fauci and other people and they weren't thrilled about it."

Trump recalled of Kemp, "I told him very distinctly — Mike [Pence] was there — I said, 'Do what you think is best.' But if you ask me, am I happy about it? I'm not happy about it and I'm not happy about Brian Kemp."

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