Donald Trump says he ‘regrets’ some of his statements

In a highly uncharacteristic move aimed at resetting his struggling campaign, Donald Trump has said for the first time that he regrets some of the caustic comments he’s made that may have caused people pain.

“Sometimes in the heat of debate and speaking on a multitude of issues, you don’t choose the right words or you say the wrong thing. I have done that,” the GOP nominee, reading from prepared text, said at a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday night.

“And believe it or not, I regret it — and I do regret it — particularly where it may have caused personal pain.”

Trump didn’t specify what comments he was referring to, but he added that, “Too much is at stake for us to be consumed with these issues.”

With just 80 days left until the election, Trump is trailing Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in preference polls of most key battleground states. At the same time, party leaders have conceded they may divert resources away from the presidential contest in favor of vulnerable Senate and House candidates if things don’t improve.

Clinton’s campaign brushed off the speech as just words he read from a teleprompter. “Donald Trump literally started his campaign by insulting people. He has continued to do so through each of the 428 days from then until now, without shame or regret,” said spokeswoman Christina Reynolds in a statement.