Bangladesh, Oct. 17 -- The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue — or “Quad” — has long been hyped as the seeds of an “Asian NATO.” Made up of the US, Japan, India, and Australia, the Quad has been Washingtons big play for the Indo-Pacific. But with US President Donald Trumps “America First” approach, many are asking if the group has a future.

Squeezed by Trumps neo-Monroeist foreign policy and his deal-making style with allies, QUAD is fading fast. Analysts such as Michael Shoebridge (Director of Strategic Analysis Australia) are calling it “the incredible shrinking Quad”: its July 2025 ministers statement for instance boiled down to vague talk on sea security and cyber issues, ditch...