PRESIDENTIAL RACE | Unshackled, Trump unleashes aggressive attacks on own party

WASHINGTON (AP) — The "shackles" gone, Donald Trump stepped up his fierce attacks on his own party leaders today, promising to teach Republicans who oppose him a lesson and fight for the presidency "the way I want to."

Exactly four weeks before Election Day and with his campaign floundering, the businessman reverted to the combative, divisive strategy that propelled him to victory in the GOP primary: Attack every critic – including fellow Republicans. Those close to Trump suggested it was "open season" on every detractor, regardless of party.

"It is so nice that the shackles have been taken off me and I can now fight for America the way I want to," Trump said in a tweet that brought new concern – near panic in some cases – to a party trying to stave off an all-out civil war before Nov, 8.

In another series of tweets, the Republican nominee called House Speaker Paul Ryan "weak and ineffective," Sen. John McCain "very foul-mouthed" and "disloyal" Republicans "far more difficult than Crooked Hillary."

"They come at you from all sides," Trump declared. "They don't know how to win – I will teach them!"

Rage against fellow Republicans from the face of the 2016 GOP exposed a party slipping from mere feuding into verbal warfare with advance voting already underway in roughly half the states. Polls suggest Trump is headed toward a loss of historic proportions if he doesn't turn things around.