Brash-talking Donald Trump vows to be "much less divisive" when the large GOP presidential candidate field finally begins to contract — predicting that will happen "very soon."
Speaking at the Problem Solvers Convention on Monday, Trump said his sharp criticism of rival candidates is a necessary part of his defense strategy in a crowded field, according to
The Hill, which writes that it's sponsoring the convention in Manchester, N.H., with the bipartisan group No Labels.
"I'm running against a lot of people," he said, The Hill reports. "Many are going to be dropping out, I think very soon. If they're smart, they're going to be dropping out. Many. Too many people."
And things will calm down afterward, he vowed.
"When it becomes a different kind of situation, we'll see I'm going to be much less divisive," he said.
The Hill reports just moments before, Trump lashed into Jeb Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.
"Believe me, they are puppets," he told the crowd, charging the pair were beholden to wealthy donors.
"I haven't gone after my Republican opponents at all. Not even at all," he said before taking the stage at the convention, The Hill reports.
"They've gone after me. I only go after them when they go after me. I'm a counterpuncher. They go after me, I go after them and they drop out of the race."
Trump also suggested he was being unduly criticized as divisive when he's just eschewing political correctness.
"I went to Ivy League schools. I know what's divisive, I know what's not," he insisted.
"I don't want to necessarily be politically correct, overreact. I've seen people, they can't even function. I've seen politicians, they're afraid to say anything because it's not politically correct."
The billionaire businessman was one of eight candidates from both parties participating in the day-long convention.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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