Unprovoked, former Republican Secretary of State Colin Powell Wednesday night slammed GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump's focus on barring illegal immigrants.

At a Library of Congress lecture conference to promote bipartisanship, he said, "I would like to go to every Trump hotel and ask all the employees not to show up tomorrow. They'd be nobody there, they're immigrants."

His comments came during the inaugural Library of Congress Daniel K. Inouye Distinguished Lecture Series hosted by newswoman Ann Compton.

In addressing changes to the nation he wants, he added, "how can we continue thinking that it is proper not to have immigration reform?"

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.