The twenty-third semi-annual Munk Debate, held on November 2, 2018, pits Stephen Bannon, the CEO of the Donald Trump presidential campaign, against columnist and author David Frum to debate the future of liberalism against the rising tide of populism.

Throughout the Western world, politics is undergoing a sea-change. Long-held notions of the role of government, trade and economic policy, foreign policy, and immigration are being challenged by populist thinkers and movements. Does this surging populist agenda in Western nations signal a permanent shift in our politics? Or is it a passing phenomenon that will remain at the fringes of society and political power? Will our politics continue to be shaped by the post-war consensus on trade, inclusive national identity, and globalization, or by the agenda of insurgent populist politics, parties, and leaders?

The twenty-third semi-annual Munk Debate pits former Donald Trump advisor Stephen K. Bannon against columnist and public intellectual David Frum to debate the future of the liberal political order.

STEPHEN K. BANNON was the CEO of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and served as chief strategist and senior counselor at the White House. He was also previously a chairman of Breitbart News and a banker at Goldman Sachs. Bannon is the founder of Citizens of the American Republic, a non-profit organization that advocates for populism and economic nationalism, and is an advisor to populist leaders in the United States and Europe.

Stephen K. Bannon's profile page

DAVID FRUM is one of North America’s leading public intellectuals, staunch critic of modern conservatism and its co-mingling with populist politics, and a former speechwriter for the George W. Bush White House. Frum is currently a senior editor of the Atlantic and a frequent media commentator in Canada and the U.S. He is the author of nine books, most recently the New York Times bestseller Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic.

David Frum's profile page

Rudyard Griffiths is the co-organizer and moderator of The Munk Debates. He is also the co-founder of the Dominion Institute and the co-director of the Grano Speakers Series. His writing has appeared in a variety of publications, including a bi-monthly column for the National Post. He is the author of Who We Are: A Citizen's Manifesto. He serves on the boards of the Stratford Festival, the Empire Club, and the Canadian Institute for Citizenship. In 2006, he was recognized by the Globe and Mail as one of Canada's "Top 40 under 40." He lives in Toronto.

Rudyard Griffiths' profile page