CNN: Trump Told CBP Then-Head He’d Pardon Him if He Went to Jail for Denying Entry to Migrants

EXCERPT:

TAPPER: "Welcome to The Lead, I'm Jake Tapper. We begin with some exclusive breaking news. President Trump, I am told, raised the prospect of a pardon to a top official if this official broke immigration laws. Senior Administration officials tell me that during the President’s visit to the border at Calexico, California, one week ago today, he told border agents to block asylum seekers from entering the U.S., which is contrary to U.S. law. We brought you that story earlier in this week, but now we’re telling you that the {resident then went even further. Two officials briefed on the exchange say the President told Kevin McAleenan, then head of Customs and Border Protection, now the Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland security, that he, the President, would pardon McAleenan if McAleenan ever went to jail for denying entry to migrants, as one of the officials paraphrased. It was not clear if the President was joking or was serious. I asked the White House for a comment, they referred me to the Department of Homeland Security.”