Apple was rumoured to have pulled the news show when it became clear that Stewart might be offending China and Apple is desperate to keep the Middle Kingdom onside.

A group of lawmakers from a House of Representatives committee wants Apple, like many Jon Stewart enthusiasts, to explain why its streaming arm abruptly canceled the talk show The Problem With Jon Stewart.

Lawmakers want to know if the show's coverage and criticism of China has anything to do with the show's cancellation. The government officials have asked Apple to speak on the issue by 15 Dec, 2023.

In a letter to the tech giant, the House members wrote that while Apple has the right to determine what content it deems appropriate for its platform, "the coercive tactics of a foreign power should not be directly or indirectly influencing these determinations."

This effort is bipartisan, with members from Republican and Democratic parties affiliated with the House of Representatives Select Committee on Competition with the Chinese Communist Party.