US Official Dismisses Quad Faltering Claims Ahead of ASEAN Summit
Synopsis
US official Dylan Johnson rejected claims that the Quad alliance is failing, citing frequent ministerial meetings. PM Modi will attend the ASEAN summit in Manila, where regional cooperation, trade, and strategic maritime issues remain the focus.
US Official Dismisses Quad Faltering Claims Ahead of ASEAN Summit
US Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson has strongly rebutted a recent media report from Politico claiming that the Quad alliance between the United States, India, Australia and Japan is faltering under President Donald Trump's administration. Addressing the claims on social media, Johnson wrote in a post on X, "This is an utterly ridiculous take. @SecRubio has formally met with the Quad foreign ministers five times in the past two years — with three meetings in the past six months. The Secretary’s first official call in office was to the Quad. We have regular monthly Quad sherpa calls and meetings. And we are working to formalize a Quad Leaders Summit at ASEAN next week. Fake News!"
The rebuttal was issued in response to a November 14, 2026, Politico report alleging that the Trump administration's policy approach and perceived lack of engagement had left the strategic grouping "on life support." Building directly upon ongoing regional preparations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Manila for the ASEAN meetings and the East Asia Summit (EAS), scheduled from November 16 to 18 and hosted this year by the Philippines, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday.