Philadelphia Phillies star Kyle Schwarber became the 21st player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a game in the teams 19-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday at Citizens Bank Park.Schwarber, 32, set the Phillies franchise record with nine RBI and took over the National League home run lead with a career-high 49. His nine RBI gave him 119 on the season, leading Major League Baseball.Schwarbers first blast came in the first inning with the Phillies trailing 3-0. Braves starter Cal Quantrill hung a 2-1 curveball that Schwarber hammered 450 feet into the second deck to cut the lead to 3-1.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMThe three-time All-Stars second homer was in the fourth inning with the Phillies up 8-3. Braves left-handed reliever Austin Cox hung an 80-mph curveball in a 3-2 count, and Schwarber hooked it 386 feet around the foul pole for a two-run shot to make it 10-3.Schwarbers third home run also came off Cox. With the Phillies up 12-3 in the fifth inning, Schwarber swatted a 93-mph fastball on the outside part of the plate 378 feet over the left-field wall to make it 15-3.The Silver Slugger stepped up in the seventh inning with a 15-4 lead and two runners on. Schwarber ripped Braves reliever Wander Sueros 85-mph changeup 407 feet for a three-run homer, putting his name in the history books."Its pretty cool," Schwarber said. "It was a fun night, great atmosphere. Wouldnt want to do it with a better group of guys than we have here."MARK TEIXEIRA'S GOP CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN SPARKS BACKLASH FROM THE LEFTMike Schmidt was the last Phillies player to hit four homers in a game, doing it against the Chicago Cubs in April 1976. Schwarber recorded the third four-homer game of the season, following Eugenio Surez and Nick Kurtz."It just cooperated," Schwarber said. "You can do everything right and get out, and you can do everything wrong and get a hit. Got some pitches and put some good swings on it."Schwarber had a chance for a fifth home run against a position player, but popped up against Braves third baseman Vidal Brujan."I stink against position players," Schwarber joked. "All youre trying to do is get a good pitch. I got the pitch. Just popped it up."Schwarber has 333 homers in 11 seasons with the Cubs, Washington Nationals, Boston Red Sox and Phillies. His previous career high was 47 in 2023 with Philadelphia.The Phillies (77-57) will face the Braves (61-73) in the second game of their four-game series Friday at 6:45 p.m. ET.The Associated Press contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Sean Charles Dunn, the Justice Department worker fired after being accused of throwing a sandwich at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent earlier this month, has now been charged with a misdemeanor.Dunn was previously charged with a felony, but a grand jury declined to hand down an indictment."I will continue to pursue every avenue available to hold offenders accountable. While this DC grand jury did not return a true bill consistent with the clear wording of the statute on the felony charge in this case, we will not waiver in our commitment to public safety," U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.DC MAN ACCUSED OF HURLING SANDWICH AT FEDERAL OFFICER ESCAPES INDICTMENT"The defendant will face prosecution on misdemeanor charges, and we will continue to seek the maximum penalties the law allows. The chaos in this district must end," Pirro added.Footage of the episode shows an individual apparently running away from authorities after hurling the item at the officer.DOJ EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH FELONY AFTER ALLEGEDLY WHACKING FEDERAL AGENT WITH SANDWICH AMID TRUMP DC CRIME CRACKDOWNA statement of facts attached to a criminal complaint filed earlier this month said that Dunn shouted at CBP Agent Gregory Lairmore and tossed a sandwich at him."DUNN stood within inches of" Lairmore, "pointed his finger in" Lairmore's "face, and yelled, 'F[---] you! You f[---]ing fascists! Why are you here? I dont want you in my city!'" according to the document.JEANINE PIRRO SHUTS DOWN REPORTERS QUESTIONING TRUMP'S DC CRIME CRACKDOWNDunn tossed "a sandwich at him, striking" the CBP agent "in the chest," the document indicates, explaining, "While being processed at Metropolitan Police Departments Third District, DUNN told MTP Officer Gurkaranjot Thandi, 'I did it. I threw a sandwich.'"

For Julia Roberts, it's important that movies spark conversation.The actress, 57, isnt often known for weighing in on cultural debates, but during a news conference Friday at the Venice Film Festival, she spoke out about some backlash that her new film, "After the Hunt," has been receiving from attendees of the festival.According to Variety, a reporter noted that the movie had "caused controversy" among some viewers, who complained that the story "revives old arguments" about women believing other women when they make allegations of sexual assault, a central issue of the #MeToo movement.DENZEL WASHINGTON BLASTS CANCEL CULTURE, SAYS FAITH MATTERS MORE THAN FOLLOWERS"Not to be disagreeable, because its not in my nature," Roberts answered, "but the thing you said that I love is it revives old arguments. I dont think its just reviving an argument of women being pitted against each other or not supporting each other. There are a lot of old arguments that get rejuvenated that creates conversation."The best part of your question is that you all came out of the theater talking about it. Thats how we wanted it to feel. You realize what you believe in strongly because we stir it all up for you. So, youre welcome."LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSThe outlet reported that, after giving this answer, Roberts was asked about the topic again, promting her to complain that people seem to be "losing the art of conversation in humanity right now.""Were not making statements; we are portraying these people in this moment in time," she explained. "I dont know about controversy, per se, but we are challenging people to have conversation. To be excited or infuriated about it is up to you. If making this movie does anything, getting everybody to talk to each other is the most exciting thing that I think we could accomplish."I love the softball questions early in the morning," she joked.At one point, director Luca Guadagnino jumped in, saying, "Its how we see the clash of truths. Its not about making a manifesto to revive old-fashioned values."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERAccording to the Venice Film Festival's website, "'After the Hunt' is a gripping psychological drama about a college professor who finds herself at a personal and professional crossroads when a star student makes an accusation against one of her colleagues, and a dark secret from her own past threatens to come to light."In addition to Roberts, the movie stars Ayo Edebiri, who plays her student, and Andrew Garfield.Judging by Roberts' commentary, a key goal for the film, which is scheduled for a North American theatrical release Oct. 10, is sparking difficult conversations. The tagline on the poster even says "not everything is supposed to make you feel comfortable."The Associated Press contributed to this report.

First Lady Melania Trump "laughed" at a request from Vanity Fair last month to appear on the cover of the magazine, according to the New York Post.Vanity Fair editors reportedly fumed over the possibility of Trump on the cover, with one editor telling the Daily Mail there would be a "mass exodus" of staffers if it happened. The outlet added that several anonymous employees warned of a "meltdown" if global editorial director Mark Guiducci followed through with his idea, but the first lady appears to have bigger priorities."She doesnt have time to be sitting in a photo shoot," a source familiar with Trumps thinking told the Post's Miranda Devine.VANITY FAIR EDITOR RAGES OVER POTENTIAL MELANIA TRUMP COVER, PREDICTS HALF THE EDITORIAL STAFF WILL WALK"Her priorities as first lady are far more important," the source continued to the Post. "These people dont deserve her anyway."The first lady has been working to support children in foster care, combat cyberbullying and address opioid abuse, among other causes. On Wednesday, she called for more "pre-emptive intervention" to identify potential school shooters, and she recently wrote a "peace letter" to Russian President Vladimir Putin."I love this because she is showing the grace that could have epitomized the cover of Vanity Fair but now never will," Fox News host Emily Compagno said Thursday on "Outnumbered."MELANIA TRUMP, AMAZON PARTNER TO RELEASE NEW FILM ABOUT HER LIFE IN THEATERS WORLDWIDETrump was excluded from Vanity Fair and Vogue, which are both published by Cond Nast, during her husbands first presidency, despite both magazines frequently spotlighting past first ladies. She did appear on the cover of Vanity Fair Mexico in 2017.Former First Lady Michelle Obama appeared on Vogue'scoverthree timesduring President Barack Obamas two terms in office, and former First Lady Jill Biden landed two Vogue covers during President Joe Bidens term.Cond Nast did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.MELANIA TRUMP LAUNCHES ON THE MOVE DIGITAL PHOTO SERIES HIGHLIGHTING HER FAST-MOVING LIFEA spokesperson for the first lady declined comment.Fox News Digitals Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Russia isnt backing off from attacking Ukraine and pummeled it with missiles and drones Thursday just weeks after President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, in an attempt to advance a peace deal.The attack could be a signal Putin is utilizing diplomacy to buy himself more time to advance his goals and continue to attack Ukraine, all while avoiding secondary sanctions that the Trump administration has threatened to impose, according to experts.The time to act is now, according to Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., chairman of the House Armed Services Committees subcommittee on cyber issues. "Putin is stringing President Trump along and the added time is helping Russia to continue the bombing campaign against Ukrainian cities," Bacon said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. "The longer Trump refuses to impose secondary sanctions against Russia and send high-end weapons to Ukraine, the more he looks like a simp for Putin. It is beyond time for Trump to have moral clarity and come in strong to help the democracy that is being attacked by the Russian thug."RUSSIA LAUNCHES LARGEST ATTACK ON UKRAINE THIS MONTH FOLLOWING TRUMP'S MEETINGS WITH PUTIN, ZELENSKYYBacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general who is not seeking reelection in 2026, said that discussions with Putin have proven futile and have indicated Putin isnt serious about a deal."Weve seen zero results from the talks as far as Putin being willing to compromise," Bacon said. "Although I think seeking negotiations was worthwhile initially, it showed Putin does not want peace."The White House has maintained that Trump has made more progress in two weeks to resolve the conflict than his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, did in more than three years, and pointed to Trump's meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within days of each other. "President Trumps national security team continue to engage with Russian and Ukrainian officials toward a bilateral meeting to stop the killing and end the war," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital.Trump announced July 14 that he would sign off on "severe tariffs" against Russia if Moscow failed to agree to a peace deal within 50 days. He then dramatically reduced the deadline to only 1012 days which ended Aug. 8. But rather than lay on additional sanctions against Russia, Trump met with Putin a week later in Alaska and hailed the meeting a great success.Still, progress stemming from the meeting appears limited. Russia did not agree to a ceasefire, and while Trump initially said a trilateral meeting with both Putin and Zelenskyy was in the works, Russia has shown disinterest in such a meeting.RUSSIAN DRONE STRIKES KILL 7 IN KHARKIV DURING ZELENSKYY'S WHITE HOUSE MEETING WITH TRUMPRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with NBC News Aug. 22 that no meeting had been scheduled and Putin would only agree to one if certain terms were approved beforehand. Thats not the case, he said."Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy when the agenda is ready for a summit, and this agenda is not ready at all," Lavrov said.Meanwhile, Russia launched a massive attack employing nearly 600 drones and decoys against Kyiv Thursday, killing more than 20 people. In response, the U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Friday, per the urging of Ukraine and several other European allies.Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia during former President Barack Obamas administration, said in a post on X that Putin has only escalated attacks against Ukraine following the Alaska meeting, and said Putin is "openly mocking" Trump."I hope Mr. Trump and his team understand how Putin is spitting in their faces," McFaul said in a Thursday post on X.Additionally, Putin is onto the fact he can bypass economic consequences, and wont seriously negotiate a deal unless he must, according to Steven Pifer, who previously served as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine during former President Bill Clintons administration."I think that Putin is, in fact, stringing the president along," Pifer told Fox News Digital. "Putin still believes he can achieve his goals, vis a vis Ukraine, on the battlefield. And we're not going to see a serious negotiating attempt by the Russians until Putin is convinced he cannot win on the battlefield, and that continuing to try is only going to mean greater and greater cost first and foremost, a lot more dead Russian soldiers."TRUMP AND PUTINS RELATIONSHIP TURNS SOUR AS PRESIDENT PUSHES FOR RESOLUTION WITH UKRAINE"I just don't see any really serious steps the administration has taken to inflict any punishment on Putin," Pifer said. "I think Putin's figured that out, and until Putin is disabused of that notion, he's going to keep missing deadlines."Historically, Russias demands for a peace deal have included barring Ukraine from ever joining NATO, along with concessions on some of the borders that previously were Ukraine's.Peter Rough, a senior fellow and director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute think tank, said that because Putin knows the U.S. is eager to end the war, Putins peace deal requirements are an attempt to turn up the heat on Ukraine.Following Trumps meeting with Putin and ahead of his meeting days later with Zelenskyy, the U.S. president put the onus on Ukraine to end the war and said that Ukraine could end the war immediately if it agreed to cede Crimea to Russia, and abandon its bid for NATO membership."Putin managed to sidestep U.S. sanctions in Alaska and is content slogging away in Ukraine," Rough told Fox News Digital Monday. "But he also recognizes that the U.S. wants this war to come to an end, so he has put forward a proposal intended to appeal to Washington in the hopes that the U.S. will put pressure on Ukraine to accept its terms. If he can divide the transatlantic alliance along the way, all the better. At the very least, it helps him stave off additional U.S. sanctions."John Hardie, Russia program deputy director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said that Putin isnt interested in agreeing to a deal unless his terms are included in it. In the meantime, Putin is utilizing diplomacy to avoid economic consequences, Hardie said."I think Putin does want a deal but only if it's on his terms," Hardie told Fox News Digital Monday. "Until that happens, he's bent on continuing the war, and Russia seeks to use diplomacy to forestall tougher U.S. economic pressure and redirect Trump's ire from Moscow to Kyiv."

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported nearly 200,000 people so far since President Donald Trump returned to office in January, a Homeland Security spokesperson told Fox News Digital, putting the agency on track to record its highest number of removals in a decade.The spokesperson said Friday that ICE removed 199,600 individuals from the U.S. between January and Aug. 27, 2025. In the first three months of this ongoing fiscal year, between the beginning of October 2024 to the end of December 2024 which were former President Biden's final months in office ICE said it deported 71,405 people.The combined figure puts ICE at around 271,000 deportations during the federal Fiscal Year 2025, which ends Sept. 30.ICE removed 271,484 individuals during the previous fiscal year, which was the highest figure since FY2014 under former President Barack Obama, when there were 315,943 deportations.TRUMP'S DHS TOUTS MASSIVE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DEPORTED AS DEMS LASH OUT AT ICEOf the last fiscal years removals, around 33% had "criminal histories," ICE said, including 47,885 with charges or convictions for assault, 16,552 for sexual assaults and sexual offenses and 2,699 for homicides."Of the 271,484 individuals removed, 237 were known or suspected terrorists, a 70.5% increase compared to fiscal year 2023, and eight were human rights violators for an increase of 33.3% compared to fiscal year 2023," ICE also said that year.White House border czar Tom Homan said Thursday, "Operations are ramped up across the country.""But you are going to see a ramp up of operations in Chicago, absolutely. You're going to see a ramp up of operations in New York, you're going to see a ramp up of operations continue in L.A. and, you know, Portland, Seattle, I mean, all these sanctuary cities that refuse to work with ICE, where we know public safety threats are being released every day into this country, especially those cities, we're going to address that," Homan added.ICE DETAINERS IN TOP SANCTUARY CITY HAVE SKYROCKETED UNDER TRUMP COMPARED TO BIDEN'S 4-YEAR TERM: DHS"We don't have that problem in Texas and Florida, where all the sheriffs are working with us. They're actually holding people for us and letting us know when someone's being released," Homan also said. "So we're going to take the assets we have and move on to problem areas like sanctuary cities where we know for a fact they're releasing public safety threat, illegal aliens to the streets every day. That is where we need to send the majority of the resources, and that is where they are going."A senior Department of Homeland Security official also told Fox News Digital that recent total deportations from all federal agencies "have reached nearly 350,000" and "this is just the beginning.""President Trump and Secretary Noem have jumpstarted an agency that was vilified and barred from doings its job for the last four years. In the face of a historic number of injunctions from activist judges, ICE, CBP, and the U.S. Coast Guard have made historic progress to carryout President Trumps promise of arresting and deporting illegal aliens who have invaded our country," the DHS official said. "Additionally, illegal aliens are hearing our message to leave now or face the consequence. Tens of thousands are using the CBP Home App to self-deport. Migrants are now even turning back before they reach our borders -- migration through Panamas Darien Gap is down 99.99%," the official added.

Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa will not run for re-election in next year's midterms, three sources confirm to Fox News.And the 55-year-old Ernst, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, is expected to make an official announcement next week.Ernst, a retired Army Reserve and Iowa National Guard officer who served in the Iraq War, has been wrestling for months whether to run for re-election in 2026.The senator's decision to retire rather than seek a third six-year term creates an open seat in Iowa.IOWA REPUBLICAN TARGETS GOP SEN JONI ERNST FOR OUSTER, SAYING 'SHE DOESN'T VOTE LIKE' REPUBLICANSGOP Rep. Ashley Hinson, a former TV news anchor who is in her third term representing Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, which covers the northeastern portion of the state, is planning on running to succeed Ernst, multiple sources confirm to Fox News.KEY HOUSE GOP MODERATE DON BACON WON'T SEEK RE-ELECTIONIowa was once a top battleground state that former President Barack Obama carried in his 2008 and 2012 White House victories. But the state has shifted to the right in recent election cycles, with President Donald Trump carrying the state by eight points in 2020 and by 13 points last November.Republicans currently hold both of the state's U.S. Senate seats Ernst and longtime Sen. Chuck Grassley and all four of Iowa's congressional districts, as well as all statewide offices except for state auditor, which is held by Democrat Rob Sand, who's running for governor next year.But Democrats in Iowa are energized after flipping two GOP-held state Senate seats in special elections so far this year.Four Democrats are already running for Senate in Iowa. The field includes state Rep. Josh Turek, a Paralympian wheelchair basketball player, state Sen. Zach Wahls, Knoxville Chamber of Commerce executive director Nathan Sage and Des Moines School Board Chair Jackie Norris.Ernst first grabbed national attention 11 years ago with her "make 'em squeal" ads as she won the high-profile Senate election in the race to succeed retiring longtime Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin.The senator, thanks to her military background, has often taken the lead on defense issues. She is the first female combat veteran to serve in the Senate, and made combating sexual assault in the military a priority, having been a survivor of sexual assault herself.Since Trump's White House victory in 2016, Ernst has tried to strike a balance between her support for the president as she hued to a more traditional Republican agenda.Earlier this year, Ernst sparked a controversy after she said, "We are all going to die," when responding a voter at a town hall meeting who raised concerns over Medicaid cuts in the GOP's sweeping domestic policy bill.Republicans are aiming to not only defend, but expand, the current 53-47 Senate majority in next year's elections.Senate Republicans enjoyed a favorable map in the 2024 cycle as they flipped four seats from blue to red to win back the majority.But the party in powerclearly the Republicans right nowtraditionally faces political headwinds in the midterm elections. Nevertheless, a current read of the 2026 map indicates the GOP may be able to go on offense in some key states.In battleground Georgia, which Trump narrowly carried in last year's White House race, Republicans view first-term Sen. Jon Ossoff as the most vulnerable Democrat incumbent up for re-election next year.They're also targeting battleground Michigan, where Democratic Sen. Gary Peters is retiring at the end of next year, and swing state New Hampshire, where longtime Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen decided against seeking a fourth six-year term in the Senate.Also on the NRSC's target list is blue-leaning Minnesota, where Democratic Sen. Tina Smith isn't running for re-election.But the GOP is defending an open seat in battleground North Carolina, where Republican Sen. Thom Tills decided against seeking re-election.

House investigators' plan to grill former FBI Director Robert Mueller has hit a snag.The House Oversight Committee was set to have Mueller appear before the panel on Tuesday as part of the House's probe into Jeffrey Epstein. However, a source familiar with the investigation told Fox News Digital that lawmakers "learned that Mr. Mueller has health issues that preclude him from being able to testify.""The committee intends to withdraw its subpoena," the source said.Mueller was one of many notable figures, including the Clintons, who House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., subpoenaed to testify before the panel.He would have been the second witness appearing in-person before the House Oversight Committee after former Attorney General Bill Barr did so last month.His closed-door deposition was expected to see at least some lawmakers on both sides attend, with the investigation so far seeing wide bipartisan support in an otherwise highly divided era for Congress.Mueller was most recently in the headlines for his role as special counsel investigating whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election in favor of President Donald Trump.PRINCE ANDREW, JEFFREY EPSTEINS FRIENDSHIP FUELED BY MONEY AND SEX: AUTHORThat probe, which did not find Trump to have committed any wrongdoing, saw 34 people indicted and eight convictions or guilty pleas, including several people associated with the president.House investigators were expected to dive into Mueller's time as director of the FBI. He led the bureau under former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, from September 2001 until September 2013.It was during that window that the federal government first investigated Epstein, something Comer pointed out in his letter subpoenaing Mueller.BILL BARR, FORMER TRUMP ATTORNEY GENERAL, ARRIVES TO FACE HOUSE INVESTIGATORS IN EPSTEIN PROBE"When you were FBI Director, an FBI investigation of Mr. Epstein led to an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida preparing a draft 60-count indictment of Mr. Epstein in 2007," Comer wrote."However, the next year, Mr. Epstein pled guilty in Florida state court to two prostitution offenses, and, in exchange, he and his co-conspirators received immunity from federal prosecution through a non-prosecution agreement."That non-prosecution agreement has been widely criticized and is now the basis for Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell to appeal her conviction and 20-year prison sentence before the Supreme Court.It's not clear how much of a role Mueller would have had in that agreement. Alexander Acosta, the former Trump labor secretary and U.S. attorney in Florida who signed off on the deal, is sitting down with the House Oversight Committee for a voluntary transcribed interview later this month.Comer sent out a flurry of subpoenas last month in relation to the Epstein probe.Other figures also compelled to appear after Mueller are former FBI Director James Comey, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch and ex-first couple Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Cleveland Browns legend Joe Thomas delivered a message to the "Shedeur Sanders cult" after the controversy the followed his performance in the team's final preseason game.Sanders played with the third stringers during the teams final preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams and struggled. He entered in the third quarter and completed three of six passes for 14 yards, while taking five sacks for a loss of 41 yards.Sanders defenders blamed the coaching staff for his struggles. But Thomas pushed back during a recent appearance on OutKicks "Dont @ Me with Dan Dakich."CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM"Theres a lot of nuance in it, which the Shedeur Sanders cult doesnt have. They just believe that were morons for not being able to see that this guy is the greatest thing since sliced bread, the greatest quarterback since Tom Brady, and hes ready right now to be able to elevate the franchise to their first Super Bowl of all time, and were the idiots for not seeing it," Thomas said.The Pro Football Hall of Famer said he believes Sanders has a high ceiling but still needs a lot of development before becoming an NFL starter."I think he has a higher ceiling. Hes a great playmaker, he has tremendous accuracy, he has that feel when he is in the game of how to make those big plays. But just because you have that ceiling thats really high and that potential to be able to do that doesnt mean you can do it right now," Thomas said.PATRIOTS CLAIM FAN FAVORITE TOMMY DEVITO OFF WAIVERS"And as a first-round talent, thats typically the guy that they are able to put right in there right away and give them everything that they have, and theres growing pains with every quarterback, especially a rookie. I think the reason Shedeur fell to the fifth round is because they feel like hes got a lot of development that he still needs to do before he can be an NFL starting quarterback."The 10-time Pro Bowler said there is no conspiracy to sabotage Sanders if anything, the opposite, since the better Sanders is, the more attention he can draw to the sport."The reality of the NFL Draft is that you have 32 teams that all want to beat each other, and so theyre not conspiring together to sabotage somebody who, by the way, would be great for the league. And he is great for the league, because the league wants eyeballs," Thomas said."They want people watching their games, they want these great personalities, and so there is no reason there is no reason they would be trying to conspire against him and sabotage him. Actually, the opposite: They want to promote a guy like that because he is so great for the league. It doesnt make sense on any level."Sanders will enter the season as the teams No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart. Joe Flacco will start when the Browns open against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, with Dillon Gabriel as his backup.Follow Fox News Digitals sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C. on Friday grilled lawyers for the Justice Department and Lisa Cook over President Donald Trump's historic attempt to fire her from the Federal Reserve.The landmark case is almost certain to be kicked to the Supreme Court for review but despite the high-stakes nature of the legal dispute, Friday's hearing ended after more than two hours without clear resolution.U.S. District Judge Jia Cobb, a Biden appointee, declined to immediately grant the temporary restraining order sought by Lisa Cook's attorneys, which would keep her in her role on the Fed's Board of Governors for now.Cook's lawyers included the request for the temporary restraining order in the lawsuit filed in federal court on Thursday, challenging Trump's attempt to fire her from her position on the independent board due to allegations of mortgage fraud.APPEALS COURT BLOCKS TRUMP FROM FIRING FEDERAL BOARD MEMBERS, TEES UP SUPREME COURT FIGHTInstead, Judge Cobb ordered both parties to submit any supplemental briefs to the court by Tuesday, shortly before she dismissed the lawyers for the long weekend.Cobb noted the novelty of the case before her, which involves the first attempt by a sitting president to oust a Federal Reserve governor "for cause."The fraud allegations were first leveled by Bill Pulte, a Trump appointee to the federal agency that regulates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He accused Cook of claiming two primary residences in two separate states in 2021, with the goal of obtaining more favorable loan conditions.Trump followed up by posting a letter on Truth Social earlier this week that he had determined "sufficient cause" to fire Cook, a dismissal he said was "effective immediately" prompting her attorneys to file the emergency lawsuit.The crux of Friday's arguments centered on the definition of what "for cause" provisions must entail for removal from the board, under the Federal Reserve Act, or FRA a law designed to shield members from the political whims of the commander-in-chief or members of Congress.The arguments also centered on Cook's claims in her lawsuit that Trump's attempt to fire her amounts to an illegal effort to remove her from the Fed well before her tenure is slated to end in January 2038, to instead install his own nominee.Lawyers for Cook argued that her firing is merely a "pretext" for Trump to secure a majority on the Fed board a contention that Cobb admitted made her "uncomfortable."They also attempted to poke holes in the mortgage fraud allegations, which they said were made on social media and "backfilled."The case "obviously raises important questions"about the Federal Reserve Board, Cobb said shortly before adjourning court.She also noted that she had not yet made a determination about the alleged "irreparable harm" prompting her to set the Tuesday filing deadline.TRUMP SAYS HES ALWAYS READY FOR LEGAL FIGHT AS OUSTED FED GOVERNOR PLANS LAWSUITCook's attorneys argued Friday that Trump's attempt to fire her violates her due process rights under the Fifth Amendment, as well as her statutory right to notice and a hearing under the Federal Reserve Act.Her lawyer, Abbe Lowell, noted on several occasions that there was no "investigation or charge" from the administration prior to Trump's abrupt announcement that he would fire Cook.Lowell also vehemently disputed the Justice Department's allegations that Cook had an "opportunity" to respond to the mortgage fraud accusations leveled by Bill Pulte noting that they were made just 30 minutes before Trump called for Cook to be removed.He told Cobb that it was the latest attempt by the Trump administration to "litigate by tweet."A LOOK AT THE UNFOLDING BATTLE BETWEEN TRUMP AND POWELL OVER FED POLICYLawyers for the Trump administration, for their part, argued that the president has broad latitude to determine the "for cause" provision.Justice Department attorney Yakoov Roth told Cobb that the determination of when to invoke the provision should be left to the president, regardless of whether it is viewed by others as "pretextual.""That sounds to me like the epitome of a discretionary determination, and that is when the presidents power is at [its] apex," Roth said.DOJ lawyers also noted that Cook, to date, has not disputed any of the allegations in question, and argued that there is "nothing she has said" about the allegations that would cause her to not be fired."What if the stated cause is demonstrably false?" Cobb asked, going on to cite hypothetical concerns that a president could, theoretically, use allegations to stack federal boards with majorities.As for the issue of "irreparable harm," Justice Department attorneys argued that it would be more harmful for Cook to remain in office, arguing that the "harm of having someone in office who is wrongfully there ... outweighs the harm of someone being wrongfully removed from office."TRUMP ASKS SCOTUS TO UPHOLD FREEZE ON BILLIONS IN USAID PAYMENTSCook's attorneys said Friday that in reviewing the lawsuit, the court need not itself establish a definition of what "cause" means under the Federal Reserve Act.Instead, Lowell suggested, the court should instead work backwards to determine whether the accusations leveled by Pulte were in fact "backfilled" by Trump to form the basis of her removal. "It's very difficult to come up with an 11-page definition of what it is," Lowell said Friday of the "cause" definition, adding that it is far easier to come up with a one-page definition of "what it's not.""Whatever it is, it's not this," Lowell said.