Trump was afraid to throw tomatoes and pineapples because they could kill
Former US President Donald Trump confirmed in sworn testimony that he was afraid protesters would pelt him with "very dangerous" fruits such as pineapples, tomatoes and bananas during his 2016 election campaign, because "these things can kill."
Trump's comments came in court documents released on Tuesday that included a copy of testimony Trump gave last October as part of an ongoing civil lawsuit in New York.
The lawsuit was filed by Mexican activists who said they were attacked by his guards outside Trump Tower in Manhattan in 2015.
"I wanted people to be prepared because we were told they were going to use fruit," Trump said while being questioned by Attorney Benjamin Decter.
"Tomatoes are bad, by the way," he added, but "some fruits are much worse."
He asked Dr. Trump about comments he made at a rally in Iowa in 2016 when the then-presidential candidate asked his supporters to "beat up" anyone about to throw a tomato.
"This was for the audience (...) a kind of joke," the former president replied.
"But maybe, you know, there's some truth in that. It's very dangerous stuff. You can get killed with these things."
Dr. Trump asked if he "expects his security guards to hit anyone they think is about to throw tomatoes?" He replied, "Yes, I think they have to be bold in preventing that from happening. Because if it happens you could be killed if that happens." .
Trump's testimony took four and a half hours, according to the videotaped hearing, which took place on October 18, after a New York judge rejected an attempt to overturn a subpoena ordering him to testify.
The activists who filed the lawsuit said that on September 3, 2015, Trump's bodyguards violently broke up their protest against derogatory comments Trump made about Mexico and Mexicans at the start of his campaign for the presidency.
"They bring drugs. They bring crime. They are rapists," Trump said at the time.
Prosecutors said guards tore up their banners and punched and choked one protester.
But Trump saw that his guards "tried to calm the situation" but that it was the prosecutors themselves who resorted to violence.
Trump, 75, also faces several other legal battles that threaten to complicate any bid for a second White House run in 2024. On Monday, a New York judge ordered the former US president to pay $10,000 a day as long as he refuses to provide accounting and tax documents within the framework A civilian investigation affects his group.
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