ChatGPT uninstalls in the US surged 295% after DoD deal news

Summary

U.S. uninstalls of ChatGPT’s mobile app jumped 295% day-over-day on Saturday, February 28, following news of OpenAI’s deal with the Department of Defense (DoD), which the Trump administration has rebranded as the “Department of War.” The figures cited by TechCrunch come from Sensor Tower and stand out against ChatGPT’s typical day-over-day uninstall rate of 9% as measured over the prior 30 days.

At the same time, the article describes a rapid shift in user behavior toward Anthropic’s Claude, which rose in downloads and reached the No. 1 spot on the U.S. App Store on Saturday. TechCrunch reports that Anthropic said it would not partner with the U.S. defense department, citing an inability to agree on terms and concerns about AI being used to surveil Americans and in fully autonomous weaponry.

In practice

TechCrunch reports that the DoD partnership news also hit ChatGPT’s download growth. U.S. downloads fell 13% day-over-day on Saturday shortly after the deal became public, and continued to fall on Sunday, down 5% day-over-day. The piece notes that prior to the partnership announcement, ChatGPT downloads had grown 14% day-over-day on Friday.

The backlash showed up in ratings as well. Sensor Tower said 1-star reviews for ChatGPT surged 775% on Saturday and then increased another 100% day-over-day on Sunday. Over the same period, five-star reviews declined, dropping by 50%.

On the Claude side, the article points to strong download growth and ranking gains. U.S. downloads for Claude jumped 37% day-over-day on Friday and 51% as of Saturday. TechCrunch also notes Claude hit No. 1 on the U.S. App Store on Saturday and remained there as of Monday, March 2, representing a jump of more than 20 ranks compared with roughly a week earlier (February 22, 2026).

Other third-party providers cited in the piece broadly support the trend. Appfigures said Claude’s total daily U.S. downloads on Saturday surpassed ChatGPT’s for the first time and estimated Claude’s U.S. downloads rose 88% day-over-day on Saturday. Appfigures also noted Claude is now the No. 1 free iPhone app in six countries outside the U.S.: Belgium, Canada, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, and Switzerland. Similarweb said Claude’s U.S. downloads over the past week were around 20x what they were in January, while cautioning that factors beyond political issues could be contributing.

Who benefits / who loses

The data points highlighted by TechCrunch suggest two parallel shifts: ChatGPT taking a near-term hit in uninstalls, downloads, and ratings sentiment, while Claude benefits from increased interest and visibility. The article frames the movement as at least partly tied to consumer reaction to each company’s stance on defense-related partnerships, noting that some consumers seemingly favored Anthropic’s position.

For OpenAI, the immediate signals described are the spike in uninstalls, the drop in U.S. downloads after the deal became public, and the sharp rise in 1-star reviews. For Anthropic, the gains show up in download growth, a No. 1 U.S. App Store ranking, and leading positions in multiple countries outside the U.S. At the same time, the piece includes an explicit caveat via Similarweb’s commentary that the surge in downloads may not be attributable solely to political considerations.

Why it matters

• It illustrates how government or defense partnerships can trigger immediate consumer response, visible in app store installs, uninstalls, and ratings.
• It shows how public positioning on AI use for surveillance and autonomous weapons can influence user preference, at least in the short term.
• It highlights app-store rankings and review trends as fast-moving indicators of reputational impact after major news breaks.
• It underscores the competitive volatility among consumer AI assistants when a single news event shifts attention and behavior.