Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn (Tn.) is calling for government action to end the "stranglehold" that Apple and Google enjoy over the app marketplace, amid renewed concerns about the companies' influence and Apple's collusion with the Chinese communist party.

An anti-trust bill that Blackburn is pushing to end the companies' app store "duopoly" has bi-partisan support, Breitbart reported.

Republican eyes Apple, Google crackdown

Twitter's new owner, Elon Musk, drew attention to Apple's influence when he alleged the company was threatening to kneecap Twitter by removing its app from Apple's app store.

Musk, who has come under fire from the woke left for his pledge to restore free speech, later clarified that the threat was a "misunderstanding" after meeting with Apple's woke CEO Tim Cook.

Blackburn said that her bill, the Open App Markets Act, would let "consumers, not Tim Cook, the choice over whether they can use Twitter.” The legislation would prevent companies like Apple from forcing app developers to use their app stores.

Blackburn told Breitbart that Apple and Google are against the bill "because they want to control everything that goes on your phone.”

"It should be taken to the Senate floor, UC’d [unanimous consent], clear the House, and go to the president’s desk,” Blackburn said.

Bi-partisan push

The legislation is backed by Democrats including Sens. Richard Blumenthal (Ct.), Liz Warren (Ma.), and Cory Booker (Nj.), and Amy Klobuchar (Mn.), as well as Republicans like Sen. Josh Hawley (Mo.) and Rep. Ken Buck (Co.).

"This is why we need to end the App Store duopoly before the end of this year. No one should have this kind of market power," Buck said.

Even Mark Zuckerberg called Apple's app store policy, which gives Apple a 30 percent cut of all sales, "problematic."

The push to rein in Apple comes as the company has limited its AirDrop feature in mainland China as the biggest protests against the communist party in decades sweep the country.

The authoritarian goons at the Biden White House have defended Apple, insisting it's a "private company" even as the administration warns they are "keeping an eye" on Twitter.