President Donald Trump's approval rating hit a new low for his second of two non-consecutive terms this week amid backlash stemming from the escalating conflict with Iran, according to the latest YouGov/Economist poll.

The survey, which was conducted between February 27 and March 2 and included 1,515 respondents, showed that Trump's net approval rating dropped to -21, with a 38% approval rating and a 59% disapproval rating for his second-term job performance. The president currently has his lowest approval rating since November 2017, during his first of two non-consecutive terms, and his highest disapproval rating of his second term.

A majority 51% of Americans said they strongly disapprove Trump's job performance, which is the highest percentage of any point during his two terms in office and the first time he's crossed the 50-percent threshold. The president was also reported to have dropped to a record low in support among independents, with just 26% approving his job performance while 69% disapproved, resulting in a -43 net approval rating among the group.

A recent CNN poll conducted by SSRS also showed that Trump's approval rating reached a new low among independent voters. An estimated 26% of independent voters approve of Trump's job performance during his second term in office, which is a -15% net decrease from the 41% reported in February 2025, just weeks after he took office.

Operation Epic Fury with the United States, which resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has "only just begun," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said during a press conference on Wednesday (March 4).

"It’s very early and has President Trump has said we will take all the time we need to make sure that we succeed," Hegseth said via ABC News. “We are only four days into this and the results have been incredible."

"We are accelerating, not decelerating," he added, claiming there will be complete control of Iranian airspace in the coming days.

Hegseth's comments came hours after the Pentagon identified four of the six U.S. service members killed during operation Epic Fury. Capt. Cody Khork, 35, of Florida.; Sgt. 1st Class Noah Tietjens, 42, of Nebraska.; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor, 39, of Minnesota; and Sgt. Declan Coady, 20, Iowa, were killed by an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait on Sunday (March 1).

All four soldiers were assigned to the Army Reserve's 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines, Iowa. The incident that resulted in their deaths remains under investigation, according to the Pentagon.

The soldiers were working out of a triple-wide trailer without strong protection, which was directly hit from an overhead attack from the Iranian kamikaze drone, according to multiple reports.

“Their sacrifice, and the sacrifices of their families, will never be forgotten,” Lt. Gen. Robert Harter, the chief of the Army Reserve and commanding general of the US Army Reserve Command, said in a statement obtained by the California Post.

“On behalf of the Army Reserve, we express our heartfelt condolences to their families and loved ones,” Harter added. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to honoring the legacy of our fallen and supporting their teammates and families during this difficult time.”

The Iranian regime gave a public warning claiming it was preparing to launch “the most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s armed forces" against U.S. bases at any moment while confirming the death of Khamenei during an attack by American and Israeli force.

“The most devastating offensive operation in the history of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s armed forces will begin toward the occupied territories and American terrorist bases in just moments,” the regime said via the semi-official Fars News Agency at around 6:15 a.m. local time.

Iran has launched retaliatory attacks on Israeli and American assets in Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Oman in the hours following reports of Khamenei's death.