Comedian Jon Stewart recently disclosed that Apple had requested him to refrain from conducting an interview with Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan on his Apple TV+ show “The Problem With Jon Stewart.” Despite his desire to have Khan as a guest on his podcast, Apple reportedly intervened and asked him not to proceed with the interview, citing reasons undisclosed to the public.

Stewart’s revelation was made during an episode of “The Daily Show,” where he engaged in a conversation with Khan regarding the implications of tech giants exerting control over public discourse. Khan expressed concerns about the concentration of power and decision-making within a select few companies, highlighting the potential dangers associated with such dominance in the industry.

Notably, Stewart’s remarks came on the heels of the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Apple, which accused the tech giant of operating a monopoly within its iPhone ecosystem. The lawsuit also addressed alleged anticompetitive practices across various Apple services and products, such as the Apple Watch, advertising, browser, FaceTime, and news platforms.

Furthermore, Khan’s tenure at the FTC has been marked by a stance against major tech corporations, with the FTC taking legal action against companies like Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta. This regulatory environment has underscored the growing scrutiny on big tech firms and their market influence.

Amidst these developments, Jon Stewart’s return to “The Daily Show” earlier this year coincided with reported disagreements with Apple executives over the show’s content and guests. These disagreements were said to stem from Stewart’s desire to explore controversial topics, including artificial intelligence and China, which may have conflicted with Apple’s preferences.

As of now, Apple has not provided an official statement in response to inquiries about its alleged intervention in Stewart’s interview plans with FTC Chair Lina Khan.