Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice start the show by reacting to the big news announced by Trump's defense secretary this week: Russia gets to keep the Donbas border region, no pathway to membership, and no security guarantee from the US. While Putin's aggression is being rewarded, it's fair to say that we are witnessing the end of the liberal international order and the return of 19th century imperialism: the mighty do what they want, the weak do what they must. What lessons will China and Russia take away from America's abandonment of Ukraine? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to Canadian politics and how Trump's volatile first few weeks in office have influenced voters north of the border - specifically who Canadians view as the best leader to respond to threats from the US. Can Pollievre's disruptive agenda get support in this new political reality? Or is Mark Carney's calm, steady approach what Canadians are looking for?

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.

Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle and Vox senior correspondent Zack Beachamp unpack President Trump's plans for Gaza, closing USAID, and what we can expect from a constitutional showdown between this administration and the courts.

The host of this Munk Dialogue is Rudyard Griffiths

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Members receive access to our 15+ year library of great debates in HD video, a free Munk Debates book, and ticketing privileges at our live events.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue - https://munkdebates.com/

Executive Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch

Friday Focus provides listeners with a focused, half-hour masterclass on the big issues, events and trends driving the news and current events. The show features Janice Gross Stein, the founding director of the Munk School of Global Affairs and bestselling author, in conversation with Rudyard Griffiths, Chair and moderator of the Munk Debates.

The following is a sample of the Munk Debates’ weekly current affairs podcast, Friday Focus.

Rudyard and Janice start the show talking about President Trump reversing course on tariffs at the last minute. While some say this was all a negotiating tactic by creating confusion to get concessions from Canada and Mexico, others are more concerned that this is all a pretense to Trump 2.0's territorial ambitions. Moreover, the damage done to the Canada-US bilateral relationship will have huge long term consequences. In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn their attention to Trump's shocking plan for Gaza, reimagined as the Riviera on the Mediterranean as the Palestinians are relocated against their will. This plan, so utterly lacking in credibility, is an affront to Trump's entire voting base which wants to retreat from the world, not spend money on developing it. Even so, when a President says something, no matter how outrageous, there are consequences.

To access full-length editions of the Friday Focus podcast consider becoming a donor to the Munk Debates for as little as $25 annually, or $.50 per episode. Canadian donors receive a charitable tax receipt.

This podcast is a project of the Munk Debates, a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to fostering civil and substantive public dialogue.

More information at www.munkdebates.com.