WORCESTER, Massachusetts — Donald Trump would be open to putting boots on the ground "if need be" in the fight against ISIS, he told reporters before a rally in Massachusetts Wednesday night. His comments came days after deadly terrorist attacks rocked Paris, making national security and the fight against ISIS a hot-button topic among presidential candidates.
"We've got to get rid of ISIS quickly, quickly .... Let me tell you what I really want to do. I want to get other people to put troops on the ground and we'll back them up 100%," he explained.
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Trump added to his recent proposal to create a "swatch of land" in Syria that would act as a safe zone for refugees, telling reporters that other countries would fund it. He insisted that it's the least expensive idea. "We give a little bit but other countries, like the Gulf States, should fund it," Trump said.
He again reiterated that if he wins, refugees who have already come to the United States will go back.
Asked by NBC News who he had advising him on international affairs, Trump said "many people, really smart people" — though he declined to give any specific names.
Trump tweeted about Dr. Ben Carson's foreign policy troubles earlier Wednesday afternoon, saying it would be hard for him to overcome a story of this nature.
"It says he's incapable of learning foreign policy. That's a pretty serious problem," he explained, after declaring multiple times that it was not him, but the press, that brought it up. Trump, on the other hand, said he grasps concepts quickly.
"When [foreign policy advisers] advise me, within about two seconds, I understand it," he declared.
Later, during the rally, Trump returned to talk about Carson, again telling the crowd about reports that his rival is "unable to comprehend foreign policy."
"We need someone sharp, someone tough, someone smart, who can figure it out fast," the business mogul told the crowd of about 10,000.
"We gotta get the right guy," Trump said of the voter's responsibility this election cycle.
"We need Trump," a crowd goer called out.
"We need Trump," Trump agreed.
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However, not everyone at the rally agreed. Trump was interrupted by protesters three times during the event. One protesters was escorted out as he screamed "Trump's a racist" continuously, while being booed by Trump supporters.
This article first appeared on NBCNews.com.