Facing friendly fire from GOP critics and lagging in the polls, Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Trump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Jimmy Kimmel hits Trump for rallies while hosting Emmy Awards MORE is trying to sink his own campaign, Rep. André Carson (D-Ind.) contended Thursday.

“It appears as if he knows he will not be the next president of the United States, so he's trying to sabotage this thing because he's not used to losing,” Carson said during a press briefing in the Capitol.

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Trump, who's led a remarkably provocative campaign since launching his bid last summer, has grown only more combative since solidifying the Republican nomination at the party's national convention in Cleveland last month.

In recent weeks, the Manhattan billionaire has attacked the family of a slain U.S. soldier, defended Russian aggression in the Baltics, kicked a crying baby out of a campaign event and suggested that gun enthusiasts could somehow prevent Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonBiden leads Trump by 36 points nationally among Latinos: poll Democratic super PAC to hit Trump in battleground states over coronavirus deaths Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE from appointing liberal judges.

The episodes have defied the hopes and predictions of national Republican leaders, who were expecting Trump to soften his tone as he shifted his sights from the GOP primary to the bigger stage of the general election.

In response, a growing number of Republicans on and off of Capitol Hill have said they simply can't support their nominee. A few have said they'll vote instead for Clinton, the Democratic hopeful.

Carson said Trump's ego, his political inexperience and an absence of able handlers have conspired to hobble his campaign.

"It's clear that Trump doesn't have people around him, or he hasn't had people around him, who can correct him. And when you're in political life, you often have to answer either to the press and most importantly to your constituents, and he has not had those levers of accountability,” Carson said at a press conference with other House Democrats in Washington that was focused on the Zika virus.

“So it's clear when he sees poll numbers declining, he's crying like a baby. And what you're seeing is not a meltdown, but someone who's trying to sabotage himself to clear the way for President Clinton.”