CHICAGO (WLS) — Former Ambassador and Mayor Rahm Emanuel established a new ROTC scholarship Monday.
And he’s naming it after former Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who was fired by the Trump administration.
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Former Admiral Franchetti made the announcement at Rickover Naval Academy located on the Northwest Side. She was present to award scholarships that bear her name.
She stayed out of the political fray, but former Ambassador Emanuel had no qualms stepping into it.
It was a significant day for 12 CPS graduates of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps as they had the opportunity to meet the admiral. The admiral, who previously led the Navy, handed out scholarship checks from Emanuel amounting to $10,000 annually for college expenses.
The Admiral Lisa Franchetti ROTC scholarship was born out of a meeting Emanuel had with her while serving as ambassador to Japan.
“This scholarship has the power to positively impact lives and provide these students with the chance to pursue their aspirations of serving our nation,” mentioned Franchetti, highlighting the life-changing nature of the scholarship.
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In February, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed Franchetti as chief of Naval Operations without giving a reason.
Emanuel admitted his decision to name the scholarship after Franchetti was a political shot at the Trump administration, which has frequently criticized diversity, equity and inclusion.
“If I said no, it wouldn’t be honest. If I said it was the only reason, I also wouldn’t be honest,” Emanuel said. “The way they let her go after 40 years of strikes force, leading the Navy firsthand, that’s not the way to end somebody’s 40-year career.”
Franchetti took no questions, and made no mention of her firing while addressing the students.
“And I can tell you, looking back 40 years later, I can honestly say it was the journey of a lifetime,” Franchetti said.
“Admiral Franchetti has many other things she’ll contribute to the country and many other chapters to write. This was my way of making sure that that wasn’t the last chapter in the last wave that was written,” Emanuel said.
As for Emanuel’s next chapter, that remains to be written.
“I’m not ready to make that decision, but I am laser-like focus on the singular thing that I think matters, which is, it’s not an accident, in my view, that our politics became unstable as soon as the American dream became unaffordable,” Emanuel said.
Emanuel gave no clues as to when he will announce his next political plans. But he continues to keep his name out there, trying to remain relevant until he does.
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