Edward Witten

@edwardwitten.bsky.social

930 followers 29 following 170 posts

Theoretical physicist

Edward Witten is an American theoretical physicist known for his contributions to string theory, topological quantum field theory, and various areas of mathematics. He is a professor emeritus in the school of natural sciences at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. Witten is a researcher in string theory, quantum gravity, supersymmetric quantum field theories, and other areas of mathematical physics. Witten's work has also significantly impacted pure mathematics. In 1990, he became the first physicist to be awarded a Fields Medal by the International Mathematical Union, for his mathematical insights in physics, such as his 1981 proof of the positive energy theorem in general relativity, and his interpretation of the Jones invariants of knots as Feynman integrals. He is considered the practical founder of M-theory. .. more

Physics 76%

Mathematics 20%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 1d

EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg

Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump

US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.

bloom.bg

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 3d

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

X's new location transparency feature unleashes questions about origins of MAGA accounts

The function, which shows that a slew of MAGA-branded accounts are apparently based outside the U.S., also stirred speculative outrage over where the Department of Homeland Security account was create...

www.nbcnews.com

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Edward Witten, Richard S.J. Tol , and 5 more Anna O. Law, Edward Witten, Richard S.J. Tol, Will Jennings, John R. Hutchinson, Alan Richardson, Greg Linden, Manisha Sinha

Micah Loewinger @micahloewinger.bsky.social · 4d

It’s hilarious and revelatory that a bunch of giant MAGA/America First X accounts are actually based in Eastern Europe and Nigeria.

Top MAGA Influencers Accidentally Unmasked as Foreign Actors

A new feature on Elon Musk’s X has given deeper insight into the online “America First” movement.

www.thedailybeast.com

Reposted by Edward Witten

WisDems @wisdems.org · 11d

Four years ago today President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill into law. This was one of the most consequential bills of our lifetimes.

Trump has been working to dismantle that work since entering office. He is always working against the people.

Photo of Trump pale with unfocused eyes. Headlines go across his face.
HEADLINES "Transportation: Trump kicks off potentially messy fight over Biden's infrastructure money"
"Trump is punishing Blue States by defunding their infrastructure projects"
"Trump slaps his name on Infrastructure Projects funded by Biden"
"What Trump's infrastructure funding pause means for cities"
"Where did billions in climate and infrastructure go?"

Reposted by Edward Witten

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 12d

TENNESSEAN: “Ethics complaint filed claiming 8 Senators ― including @MarshaBlackburn & @SenatorHagerty ― violated conflict of interest rules by supporting a provision allowing them to sue the government for millions…”

(Finally they cover this story! 👏🏽)
www.tennessean.com/story/news/p...

Reposted by Edward Witten

TW @twesq.bsky.social · 12d

They are straight up robbing taxpayers blind at this point and not even trying to hide it. Just ransacking the treasury out in the open. This motherfucker pleaded guilty! www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Michael Flynn, DOJ in Settlement Talks Over $50 Million Claim

The Justice Department has been discussing settlements with two former officials from Donald Trump’s first term who — like the president — claim they’re owed major payouts from the US government as vi...

www.bloomberg.com

Reposted by Edward Witten, Richard S.J. Tol, Will Jennings , and 10 more Edward Witten, Richard S.J. Tol, Will Jennings, Brendan Nyhan, Steve Peers, David Rothschild, Philip N. Cohen, Alan Richardson, Stacy D. VanDeveer, Michael D. McDonald, Dean Eckles, Ann Bartow, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 12d

Basically saying "if you do crime for me, I won't only pardon you--I'll give you millions of dollars of public money." Truly unprecedented level of corruption

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Michael Flynn, DOJ in Settlement Talks Over $50 Million Claim

www.bloomberg.com

Reposted by Stephen M. Walt, Edward Witten, Lisa W. Fazio , and 4 more Stephen M. Walt, Edward Witten, Lisa W. Fazio, Jan W. Mueller, Rosemary A. Joyce, Joanna L. Grossman, Julie Rovner

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 13d

Mafia governance in action

"the only offer on the table was that I needed to resign by 5pm that day or the DOJ would basically rain hell on UVA... If I did not resign that day, I was told that the DOJ would extract/block hundreds of millions of dollars from UVA before they would even negotiate."

Reposted by Edward Witten, Daniel W. Drezner, Nathan P. Kalmoe

Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 15d

Dreamers were once obvious candidates for a path to citizenship. Now, they’re getting picked up, detained, and set for potential deportation.

Then they came for the Dreamers

Immigrants brought here as children were told they wouldn’t be deported. Now, they’re being targeted anyway.

www.motherjones.com

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 20d

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/06/c...

Trump Officials Accused of Bullying Tactics to Kill a Climate Measure

www.nytimes.com

Reposted by Edward Witten

New Jewish Narrative @newjewishnarrative.bsky.social · 20d

BREAKING: 100+ Members of Congress sent a letter to PM Netanyahu calling on him to withdraw demolition orders targeting the Palestinian village of Umm al-Kheir.

Here's the NJN response: www.newjewishnarrative.org/statements/n...

NJN Praises Congressional Letter on Umm al-Kheir — New Jewish Narrative

More than 100 Members of Congress sent a letter today to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling on him to withdraw demolition orders that his government issued against homes and other str...

www.newjewishnarrative.org

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 23d

One of the hostages killed by Hamas - a longtime peace activist (and not the only one)
www.haaretz.com/opinion/2025...

Slain hostage Oded Lifshitz refused to stay silent on Israel's misdeeds | Opinion

***

www.haaretz.com

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 27d

They helped Palestinians harvest olives so they are being deported www.haaretz.com/israel-news/...

Two U.S. Jewish women face deportation from Israel after joining West Bank olive harvest

The Two Are Part of a Four-month Program Run by the Achvat Amim Educational Group, Which Organizes Jewish-Palestinian Solidarity Programs. After Joining Palestinians for the West Bank Olive Harvest, I...

www.haaretz.com

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · 28d

They can concentrate on unfairly characterizing criticism of Israel as antisemitism

Reposted by Edward Witten

Chris Murphy @chrismurphyct.bsky.social · Oct 24

The White House is a 24/7 pay-to-play enterprise.

The latest? Trump is pardoning Changpeng Zhao, who built a company that allowed terrorists and sex predators to launder money.

Why? Because Zhao made a huge investment in Trump's corrupt crypto business.

Pay-to-play.

Reposted by Edward Witten, Henry Jones

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · Oct 23

Shame on the private companies that are funding Trump's ballroom

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · Oct 22

#JewsDemandAction petition calling on governments around the world to do everything possible to end the Israeli military’s assault on Gaza. jewsdemandaction.org jewsdemandaction.org

Jews Demand Action

jewsdemandaction.org

Reposted by Edward Witten, Will Jennings, Sanford F. Schram , and 3 more Edward Witten, Will Jennings, Sanford F. Schram, David R. Miller, Aileen McHarg, Eric J. Segall

Brad Heath @bradheath.bsky.social · Oct 21

President Trump is demanding that the Justice Department pay him about $230 million in compensation for the federal investigations into him.

Whether he gets paid will ultimately be up to DOJ's second-in-command, who was recently his personal lawyer.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/21/u...

Reposted by Edward Witten, Elizabeth Saunders, Nicholas A. Christakis , and 28 more Edward Witten, Elizabeth Saunders, Nicholas A. Christakis, Staffan I. Lindberg, Will Jennings, Gavin A. Schmidt, Tom Clark, Scott L. Greer, Michael A. Clemens, Mary Feeney, Steven S. Smith, Joseph Schafer, Calvin K. Lai, Ryan Enos, Sanford F. Schram, Michael Kevane, James Grimmelmann, David R. Miller, Nazita Lajevardi, Robert B. Reich, James Goodwin, Seth Masket, Greg Linden, Éric Klinenberg, Blair Fix, Christina Pagel, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Timothy D. McBride, James M. Thomas, David Darmofal

The New York Times @nytimes.com · Oct 21

Breaking News: President Trump wants $230 million from the Justice Department for investigating him, people familiar with the matter say. Any settlement might ultimately be approved by senior department officials who defended him or those in his orbit. nyti.ms/4hmIi5X

Reposted by Edward Witten, Will Jennings, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 1 more Edward Witten, Will Jennings, Rosemary A. Joyce, Anne Norton

Governor Gavin Newsom @governor.ca.gov · Oct 19

We love our Marines and owe a debt of gratitude to Camp Pendleton, but next time, the Vice President and the White House shouldn’t be so reckless with people’s lives for their vanity projects.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/u...

Artillery Shell Detonated Over Interstate 5 During Marines’ Celebration, California Officials Say

www.nytimes.com

Edward Witten @edwardwitten.bsky.social · Oct 19

I hope this speaks for itself
reader.tt.nj.com/2025/10/19/g...

GOP tries to brand ‘No Kings’ protests as ‘hate America’ rallies

Saturday marked the second such anti-Trump demonstrations this year.

reader.tt.nj.com

Reposted by Dani Rodrik, Edward Witten, José Antonio Noguera

The New Republic @newrepublic.com · Oct 19

Historians of the future: Rest assured, millions of us know all this in real time. We are horrified, shocked, enraged, and ashamed. We are acting, in a thousand ways, to oppose it. This cannot, and will not, be how the United States ends. trib.al/0islLh9

Reposted by Edward Witten

Steven Beschloss @stevenbeschloss.bsky.social · Oct 18

Hey, Mike Johnson, is this what a pro-Hamas terrorist looks like?

Reposted by Michael McFaul, Cas Mudde, Edward Witten , and 55 more Michael McFaul, Cas Mudde, Edward Witten, Rebecca Solnit, Norbert Schwarz, Joe R. Feagin, Linda R. Tropp, David Kaufman, John McLaren, Iain Davidson, Valerie P. Hans, Rosemary A. Joyce, David Rothschild, Erica Chenoweth, Melissa R. Michelson, Richard Waite, Jane E. Fountain, Brian Kelly, Cathy N. Davidson, Sanford F. Schram, John Foot, Shelly Lundberg, Mona Lena Krook, Janet Murray, Michael W. Kraus, W. Andy Knight, Roopika Risam, Scott A. Imberman, Els Torreele, Rebecca M. Bratspies, Anne Norton, Erica Weintraub Austin, Seán Hanley, Dana R. Fisher, Lee Jones, Jason Lyall, Helen Jefferson Lenskyj, Daryl Adair, Talia Schaffer, José Antonio Noguera, Mark Rice, Helen Schwenken, Henrik Skaug Sætra, Seth Masket, Halley E. Froehlich, Ryan K. Brook, Audrey J. Murrell, David S. Tanenhaus, Manisha Sinha, Aviel Roshwald, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, Sally Hadden, Aidan O’Sullivan, Timothy D. McBride, Jesse D. Berman, Susan D. Blum, David Darmofal, Susanne Lachmuth

Indivisible ❌👑 @indivisible.org · Oct 18

This is what democracy looks like. #NoKings

Reposted by Edward Witten, Sanford F. Schram, John Palfrey

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · Oct 18

Any American medium that fails to cover the largest protests in American history is failing in the basic mission of informing the public about the facts.
#NoKings

Reposted by Edward Witten

Timothy Snyder @timothysnyder.bsky.social · Oct 18

Many beautiful sights today at #NoKings Cincinnati — one of my favorites was the Dinosaur walking with the guy in the Reds cap. That’s a hybridity I can get behind.