In a rare moment for a candidate who prides himself on "winning," Donald Trump admitted late Thursday night that his campaign is facing "tremendous" problems in states that will determine the next president.

"We're having a tremendous problem in Utah," the Republican presidential nominee told the New York Times.

Hillary Clinton began reaching out to Mormon voters in Utah this week and the recent entrance of independent candidate Evan McMullin, a former CIA officer and alumnus of Brigham Young University, in the presidential race could put Trump at risk of losing Utah, which is a solid red state that has not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964. A state-level poll released last week showed Clinton and Trump virtually tied there.

Trump acknowledged that his campaign is also losing ground in a trio of swing states that will be crucial to a Republican victory in November: Ohio, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

"We need help," he said of Ohio, where Republican Gov. John Kasich has refused to endorse him and his poll numbers have plummeted in recent weeks.

The candidate was slightly more confident in his chances of winning Pennsylvania, telling the Times that "Pennsylvania is a little further, but I think we'll win Pennsylvania because of the miners."

"[Clinton] wants the miners out of business. She wants steel out of business," Trump said, echoing the message he has routinely delivered to voters while campaigning in Rust Belt states.

And in Virginia, from which Clinton's running mate hails, Trump said the race would be far closer if former GOP nominee Mitt Romney had nabbed a victory in 2012. "Had you voted for Romney, it would have been much closer. You don't vote for Romney, the evangelicals. Religion didn't get out and vote."

Trump's admission that he has lost much of his momentum in battleground states comes as Republicans weigh whether their party should begin funneling most, if not all of its resources into down-ballot races as a Clinton victory looks increasingly likely. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus is expected to receive a letter next week from more than 70 GOP leaders that will encourage him to do just that.