Donald Trump has long said that his dark skin gives him a physical advantage over people of darker complexion.
And, he has also repeatedly claimed that his darker complexion gives him greater strength, stamina and power.
The claim that his skin is a physical handicap is an oft-repeated meme that has been used to fuel a campaign and, increasingly, to help sell Trump products and services.
Here’s a closer look at what Trump says and how his own campaign may be using this myth.
The myth Trump uses: A man’s skin color is his “strength, stamina, and power.”
Trump is the latest Republican candidate to use this myth to promote his brand of politics.
In his 2012 book ” The Art of the Deal ,” Trump describes how he became wealthy by winning over a “billionaire” in the form of a lucrative deal with the city of Las Vegas.
Trump also often invokes the myth to explain his business acumen and his ability to connect with voters, and to justify his use of controversial, racially charged rhetoric.
During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly used this myth as an argument to support his controversial positions.
Trump claimed that “everybody knows that when I look at people with darker skin, they’re stronger and more durable” and that his “power comes from my complexion.”
In his 2016 Republican National Convention speech, Trump repeated the myth that his white skin is his strength and stamina.
“I have great skin,” Trump said.
“The fact is, I have tremendous stamina and great strength.
I don’t even want to be standing here right now, let alone speaking, because I can’t even lift my arm up.”
When he announced his candidacy in March 2016, Trump claimed in a speech that his complexion is his physical advantage.
“I am the strongest, most durable, and most attractive man to ever run for president,” Trump proclaimed.
“You don’t see that in any of the other candidates, but it is here.”
“When you look at my skin, it’s not that I don- I can- I have great stamina,” Trump continued.
“And my skin is very, very tough.
So if you want to say that my skin has a disadvantage, well, I guess I do.”
The campaign’s use of the myth: The Trump campaign has been using the myth of Trump’s “dark skin” for some time.
In September 2016, for example, the Trump campaign posted an ad on its website with a photograph of Trump holding a “Make America Great Again” sign.
“When we win, we win with strength, not weakness,” the ad proclaimed.
In February 2017, the campaign also posted an advertisement with a photo of Trump wearing a “Dark Skin” T-shirt.
That advertisement said Trump “has the ‘natural’ complexion” that Trump said makes him “stronger, more durable, more beautiful and more attractive.”
According to an analysis of data compiled by BuzzFeed News, Trump’s campaign has spent at least $15 million in the past two years promoting this myth, using it as a way to sell products and to sell Trump services, like Trump hotels and golf courses.
BuzzFeed News has not independently verified the accuracy of the campaign’s claims.
How Trump’s own campaign might be using the claim: The campaign may have also used the myth as part of a larger strategy.
Trump has used the phrase “dark complexion” as a marketing tool.
In October 2016, the New York Times reported that the Trump Organization had purchased ads promoting the idea of Trump “darkening his skin.”
In one of the ads, Trump was shown in an ad touting “darker skin” as part the Trump plan to make the country “the most beautiful country in the world.”
The ad included a clip from the 2015 documentary “Darkest Hour” and a statement from Trump: “You see it, you smell it, it looks like you’re from another planet.”
The ads also featured a photo that featured a picture of Trump with a shirt with the phrase, “Make it great again.”
Since the Trump family has long made money from selling Trump products, the claim could be a marketing strategy that helps the family maintain a high profile and to generate income from the sale of Trump-branded products.
The Trump family owns a variety of brands, including Trump hotels, Trump golf courses, and Trump-brand vehicles like Trump Tower and Trump International Golf Links.
If Trump is truly selling his “darkness” to voters, the strategy could help him maintain a presence in places like Ohio, where Trump has been campaigning heavily to win the state.
Trump has been selling his dark-skinned reputation since the 1990s, and has frequently used it to promote Trump products.
In the 1990 and 2000 presidential campaigns, Trump used the “dark” and “southern” color codes to sell his hair extensions and other Trump-related products.
Trump’s image as a racist, sexist and