Publication alert | The four quad publics are increasingly aligned on security amid anxieties about President Trump, new polling shows
With US President Donald Trump in Asia for the ASEAN and APEC summits, new polling from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) finds that despite largely negative views on his second administration, public support for a formal Quad (Australia, India, Japan and the United States) military alliance is strong.
In Despite anxiety about Trump, Asia’s maritime democracies are increasingly aligned on security, authors Ava Kalinauskas (USSC Senior Research Associate) and Jared Mondschein (USSC Director of Research) provide a snapshot of how citizens in the Quad countries perceive the strategic environment, China’s role and each other during a time of rising geopolitical tension.
“Amid rising geopolitical tensions, public sentiment within the Quad nations recognises the need for stronger partnerships and collective defence mechanisms to maintain regional stability,” said USSC CEO Dr Michael Green.
The polling finds that a majority of Australians (56%), Japanese (59%) and Indians (54%) think that Trump’s second term has been bad for their countries. This represents a six-point increase among Australians and an 18-point increase among Japanese respondents since 2022, when asked whether a second Trump administration would be good or bad for their country. Yet, at the same time, the quad publics indicate strong support for a formal military alliance, with Australians the most supportive (49% agree), followed by Indians (44%), Americans (42%) and Japanese respondents (41%).
“These results show that strategic alignment amongst the Quad is strong — it reflects shared concerns about the regional security environment,” said Jared Mondschein.
These findings come ahead of the USSC’s annual Allies and Partners Poll in November 2025.