After spending months criticizing his Republican primary opponents and Hillary Clinton for using teleprompters at their campaign events, Donald Trump has conceded that his own reluctance to use prepared remarks may have hurt him with voters.

"I have been staying on message more now because, ultimately, I'm finding that I do better with voters, do better in the polls, when I'm on message," the GOP presidential nominee told the New York Times in an interview published Wednesday night.

Until recently, Trump's off-the-cuff style frequently landed him at the center of controversy due to comments he would make that offended certain voters or attacks he would launch that were deemed too personal in the court of public opinion. Since veteran Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway was promoted to manage his campaign, however, the brash New York businessman has been far more disciplined.

Trump said Conway has helped tailor his speeches to each audience he speaks to without forcing him to change his underlying message of American security and strength. According to the Times, Conway requested that he transition to using prepared remarks to prevent him from wandering off script at what had been freewheeling campaign rallies.

"Ultimately, I said I want to do this my way. I had 80 days at the time, and I want to do it my way," he said, adding that now that Labor Day is approaching "things will be different."

Still, Trump said he would continue to "hit back" if and when his critics, including Clinton, snipe at him.

"That will never change," he said.

According to the latest RealClearPolitics national polling average, Trump trails his Democratic opponent by 5 points — 47 to 42 percent.