CNN’s Don Lemon offered up a mix of shock, exasperation, and, finally, bemusement at the news a frenetic President Donald Trump suggested a number of bizarre and highly illegal border tactics this past March to slow down illegal immigration between the US and Mexico.

Lemon was reacting to a new report published in the New York Times that documents a number of absurd, outrageous, and violent courses of action Trump proposed in conversations with DHS officials. Panicked that his signature campaign promise to “build the wall” had made no progress after two-plus years, the president reportedly threw out a host of wild ideas that staffers either gamed out the costs of to appease him or had to shoot down because they violated the law.

“When I read this tonight, honestly, I thought this was the craziest thing that I had ever heard, especially coming from a president,” Lemon said, before slowly reading through a key passage from the Times story.

“Privately, the president had often talked about fortifying a border wall with a water-filled trench stocked with snakes or alligators, prompting aides to seek a cost estimate. He wanted the wall electrified with spikes on top that could pierce human flesh. After publicly suggesting that soldiers shoot migrants if they threw rocks, the president backed off when his staff told him that was illegal. But later, in a meeting, aides recalled he suggested that they shoot migrants in the legs to slow them down. That’s not allowed either, they told him.”

Upon finishing the quote, Lemon sat stock still for several seconds staring at the screen, before slowly closing his eyes in exasperation.

“Again, sounds hard to believe, doesn’t it?” Lemon finally said, before alluding to a devious, but unfulfilled plot device requested by the infamous Austin Powers villain. “Did Dr. Evil come up with that?”

“Seriously, Mr. President? What is the matter with you? A moat full of snakes or alligators?” Lemon asked, grimacing. “That’s some Harry Potter st– right there,” he said looking off-screen, as he started cracking up. “It’s not funny, but it’s just laughable. The mind boggles.”

Watch the video above, via CNN.

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