Donald Trump took his ire toward Mexico to a new dimension as he visited Los Angeles this weekend.

During a speech to Hollywood conservative group Friends of Abe last night, the GOP presidential candidate said Iraq was a needed buffer against a hostile Iran and that it was wrong for the United States to have invaded Saddam Hussein's fiefdom.

“Instead,” Trump told the crowd, “we should have invaded Mexico.”

This was according to an attendee who wishes to remain anonymous.* The remark was greeted with rousing applause, our source said.

The real estate mogul also said that, if he were elected to the highest office of the nation, he would “blow up the oil wells” that he believes sustain the Middle East terrorist group ISIS.

Trump arrived for the 7:30 p.m. event at the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel at 7:55. He was transported in a two-SUV caravan, and he didn't stop to greet supporters outside. 

Demonstrators appalled by his June 16 comments that Mexican immigrants are drug-running criminals and “rapists” gathered across the street from the Brentwood venue.

Our source said that Friends of Abe, whose membership reportedly includes Clint Eastwood, Gary Sinise and Pat Boone, rented out the hotel bar, patio and lobby lounge to ensure privacy.

Even hotel guests, the witness said, were told they could not use the bar during the event.

Actor Nick Searcy of FX's Justified entered the dining room in a Mexican wrestling mask and told the invite-only crowd, “I had to wear this to get past ‘em.” He was ostensibly referring to the pro-immigrant protesters outside, most of whom appeared to be Latino. The comment evoked laughter, our source said.

Author Ann Coulter, who has been equally if not more vicious on immigration, was in the audience, and Trump blew her a kiss from the podium, the witness said.

Lou Ferrigno, Paul Sorvino and Morgan Brittany were spotted in the audience. Comedian Tom Dreesen introduced Trump but asked the audience to keep his own name out of it, we were told.

Extended Footage: Trump Protestors Jam Streets of Los Angeles from Voice Media Group on Vimeo.

After speaking to the Friends of Abe gathering, Trump took no questions and exited.

Following his June 16 comments, Trump has stood fast by his stance — “When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best” — but he also expressed some qualified affection for the Mexican people and aimed his guns more specifically at the White House and at the Mexican government.

“Their leaders are much smarter, sharper and more cunning than our leaders and they’re killing us at the border and they’re killing us in trade,” he said during a campaign stop in Phoenix today.

*This story was edited to provide a little more information about our source. Send feedback and tips to the author. Follow Dennis Romero on Twitter at @dennisjromero. Follow L.A. Weekly News on Twitter at @laweeklynews.

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