Claude hits #1 on the Apple App Store as users rally behind Anthropic's government standoff

[usonian]

https://9to5mac.com/2026/03/01/claude-hits-1-on-the-app-store-as-users-rally-behind-anthropics-government-standoff/

AI chatbots currently take up the top three spots on the US App Store’s Top Downloaded charts. For Anthropic’s Claude, which takes the first-place position right now, that’s a jump from 42nd place just two months ago.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini are currently the second and third top downloaded apps, respectively.

For Anthropic, the newly minted first place position isn’t because of some new feature or capability. Instead, the week-long saga between Anthropic and the US government seems to have thrust Claude to the top of the App Store.

Anthropic was the target of ire by both President Trump and Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Friday.

Mac download is separate and not in the app store.
https://claude.com/download

Here's the lowdown.
Found on Hacker News.

Both OpenAI and Anthropic had similar holdbacks
Pentagon approves OpenAI safety red lines after dumping Anthropic Axios. paywalled.
https://archive.ph/9NcMf#selection-579.0-611.135

The Pentagon has agreed to OpenAI's rules for deploying its technology safely in classified settings, though no contract has been signed, a source familiar with the talks tells Axios.

Why it matters: The Pentagon has blasted OpenAI rival Anthropic for days, contending its red lines for AI use in the military -- mass surveillance and autonomous weapons -- are philosophical and "woke."

Now, the department, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, appears to have accepted OpenAI's similar conditions.

One big difference

OpenAI exec becomes top Trump donor with $25 million gift
https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/brockman-openai-top-trump-donor-21273419.php

I guess that makes it "less woke". This is reprehensible political bullshit.

My opinion.
Claude seems to write usable code.
That is the only use I personally find palatable because it can push people up the ladder rather than throwing them off. ( but the code still needs human checking)