Claude Tops US App Store Amid DoD Risk Designation

Anthropic's Claude artificial intelligence chatbot app claimed the top spot on Apple's U.S. App Store on February 28, 2026, surpassing OpenAI's ChatGPT and marking a significant shift in the competitive landscape of consumer AI tools.

The milestone occurred amid escalating tensions between Anthropic and the U.S. Department of Defense. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to designate Anthropic as a national security supply chain risk, a move that would bar defense contractors from using the company's AI technologies. Hegseth stated on X that the directive aimed to ensure contractors and partners doing business with the military cease commercial activity with Anthropic, allowing a six-month transition period for federal agencies. The action stemmed from Anthropic's refusal to permit its models for mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons systems, citing reliability concerns and rights violations.

President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, describing Anthropic's stance as a mistake that prioritized its terms of service over constitutional principles. Anthropic, founded in 2021 by former OpenAI employees, responded by vowing to challenge the...