Former President Trump speaks during a rally in Delaware, Ohio, on April 23. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Former President Trump feared that protesters throwing tomatoes, pineapples and other "very dangerous" fruits could have killed him at campaign rallies several years ago, according to newly unveiled court documents Tuesday.
Driving the news: Trump's comments stem from a videotaped deposition he gave in October 2021 related to a lawsuit filed by a group of protesters against the former president's security staff, who they accused of assault.
- “I wanted to have people be ready because we were put on alert that they were going to do fruit,” Trump said during the deposition, a transcript of the exchange shows.
Trump added: “Tomatoes are bad,” noting that “some fruit is a lot worse.”
- “But it’s very dangerous," he said. "I remember that specific event because everybody was on alert. They were going to hit — they were going to hit hard."
- “[Y]ou can be killed if that happens,” Trump said.
The backdrop: Trump had been questioned about comments he made during a 2016 rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, during which the former president incited his supporters to "knock the crap" out of any hecklers who might try to lob tomatoes at him, the Daily Beast first reported.