'Paper tiger': Harvard law professor pokes massive hole in 'tyrant' Trump's attacks

26 May

MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell and Harvard law professor emeritus Laurence Tribe on MSNBC on May 26, 2025 (Image: Screengrab via MSNBC / YouTube)

Harvard law professor Laurence Tribe has strongly criticized President Donald Trump's attempts to "destroy" the institution, calling the president a "paper tiger."

"This guy is a paper tiger. He's a tin horn tyrant. In the month of May, there were all kinds of cases across the country. Judges appointed by Republicans and Democrats involving Donald Trump and his megalomaniac attacks on all of our institutions," Tribe said during an appearance on MSNBC Monday.

He said there is no law that justifies what the administration is trying to do "and their attempt to retaliate against Harvard for not turning over all kinds of information to which they have no right, in violation of the privacy of these students."

Tribe, an expert on constitutional law, said it was problematic that the administration is "picking out by name a particular institution." He added that the framers of the American Constitution called such a move "a bill of attainder," referencing a legislative act that punishes a person or group without a trial.

"He is trying to basically destroy a particular institution, and then he'll turn to others," Tribe said of Trump.

Reacting to the president's statement that Harvard doesn't reveal who its foreign students are, Tribe said: "He knows their names. It's not a secret. They have admission letters. He's trying to target all of these people for retaliation."

In a post on his Truth Social platform Sunday, Trump claimed that a third of students at Harvard come from foreign countries and "some not at all friendly to the United States."

"We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, but Harvard isn't exactly forthcoming. We want those names and countries," he wrote.

In his remarks on MSNBC, Tribe said: "So, if you want to know what my answer. My answer is: See you in court, Mr. President."

Reassuring foreign students at Harvard affected by the administration's move, the Harvard professor said: "Trust me, Harvard has your back because you are crucial to us and to our survival. The intellect that you bring to Harvard and to the country is something we value and need."

"So, yes, you've got an enemy in in this deranged Donald Trump, but you've got millions of friends and they will support you," he added.

Watch the segment below, or by clicking this link.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

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