Jenna Bush Hager

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Template:Short description Template:Redirect-distinguish Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for clobbered parameters".Template:Wikidata image Jenna Welch Bush Hager (née Bush; born November 25, 1981)[1] is an American news personality, author, and journalist. She is the host of Today with Jenna & Friends, the fourth hour of NBC's morning news program, Today. Hager and her fraternal twin sister, Barbara, are the daughters of the 43rd U.S. President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush. Hager is also a granddaughter of the 41st U.S. President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush, great-granddaughter of former U.S. Senator Prescott Bush, niece of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and first cousin of former Land Commissioner of Texas George P. Bush.

After her father's presidency ended, Hager became an author, an editor-at-large for Southern Living magazine, and a television personality on NBC, being featured, most prominently, as a member of The Today Show as a correspondent, contributor and co-host.[2]

Early life and education

File:Bush daughters.png
Jenna (in pink) and Barbara Bush with their parents in 1990

Jenna Welch Bush was born on November 25, 1981, at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas.[1] She was named after her maternal grandmother, Jenna Hawkins Welch.[3] While living in Dallas, Jenna and her sister Barbara attended first Preston Hollow Elementary School and then The Hockaday School. In 1994, after her father was elected Governor of Texas and the family moved to Austin, Texas, Bush was a student at St. Andrew's Episcopal School and attended Austin High School from 1996 until her graduation in 2000. She was a Senate page.Template:Better source needed[4]

As her father became President in 2001, she attended the University of Texas at Austin and took summer classes at New York University. She was a legacy member of Kappa Alpha Theta, her mother's sorority. While there, Jenna and her sister Barbara made national headlines when they were both arrested for alcohol-related charges, twice within five weeks. On April 29, 2001, Jenna was charged with a misdemeanor for possession of alcohol under the age of 21 in Austin. On May 29, 2001, Jenna was charged with another misdemeanor — attempting to use a fake ID (with the name "Barbara Pierce," her paternal grandmother's maiden name) to purchase alcohol. She pleaded no contest to both charges.[5][6][7][8] Jenna Bush graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English, in 2004.

2004 U.S. presidential election

File:President George W. Bush takes the Oath of Office.jpg
Jenna Bush (second from right) witnesses her father taking the oath on Inauguration Day on January 20, 2005.

Jenna and Barbara asked their father not to run for President of the United States in 2000: "Oh, I just wish you wouldn't run. It's going to change our life." Her father told them that he and her mother needed to live their lives.[9] In the winter of 2003, she and Barbara opted to become involved in the 2004 campaign.[9] In response to this decision, she made media appearances during the summer of 2004, prior to the election. She and her sister made several joint public appearances, including giving a speech to the Republican Convention on August 31, 2004.[10] She made headlines when she was found sticking her tongue out to media photographers at a campaign stop in St. Louis.[11] Jenna and Barbara took turns traveling to swing states with their father, and they also gave a seven page interview and photo shoot in Vogue.[3] Jenna later confirmed that Barbara and Jenna also developed a friendship with John Kerry's daughters, Alexandra and Vanessa, who campaigned on behalf of their father.[12]

Career

Teaching

Before leaving Washington, D.C. in summer 2006, Hager worked at Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School for a year and a half as a teacher's aide.[13] She took a leave of absence from the charter school position to work at a shelter as part of an internship for UNICEF's Educational Policy Department in Latin America, specifically Panama.[14][15] After her internship for UNICEF, Hager returned to her position at the charter school in Washington, D.C.[16] She has done work as a part-time reading coordinator at the SEED Public Charter School in Baltimore, Maryland, and she has contributed a monthly news story about education for the Today show.[17]

File:Mrs. Laura Bush and daughters pose for a photo with Sesame Street character Elmo.jpg
Jenna Hager (left), with her mother, her twin sister, and Elmo, at the Sesame Workshop Fifth Annual Benefit Dinner (2007)

Writing

In 2007, Hager began marketing a book proposal with the assistance of Robert B. Barnett, a Washington attorney.[14] The title of the book is Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope, and it chronicles her experiences working with UNICEF sponsored charities in Latin America, including visits to drought-stricken Paraguay in 2006, while working as an intern for United Nations Children's Fund.[14][18][19] HarperCollins announced in March 2007 it would publish the book, and it was released September 28, 2007, with an initial printing of 500,000 copies.[20] Her share of the profits will go to UNICEF, while the remainder will go to the woman whose life is the basis of the book, assisting in the young woman's continuing education.[21] During the book tour, Hager appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. During the interview, Hager telephoned her parents.[22] Hager wrote a second book, in conjunction with her mother, designed to encourage children to read.[23] The book, entitled Read All About It!, was published on April 22, 2008, also by HarperCollins.[23]

On November 26, 2012, Hager was named editor-at-large of Southern Living magazine.[24]

NBC News (2009–present)

Since 2009, Jenna Bush has worked at NBC News as a correspondent and at Today as both a contributor and an anchor. In August 2009, NBC hired Hager as a correspondent and contributor for The Today Show.

File:The Funeral of President George H.W. Bush (31265100837).jpg
Jenna Hager reading at her late grandfather's funeral service (2018)

As time progressed, Hager's profile increased on Today, including filling in as the orange room anchor during the 7AM-9AM hours and substituting for Kathie Lee Gifford or Hoda Kotb during the fourth hour.[25]

In 2018, she interviewed Michelle Obama in a discussion about her life in the White House, the challenges of raising her daughters in the spotlight, and her book, Becoming.[26] They also discussed the political atmosphere and political bipartisanship, with Obama stating that, despite their political differences, Hager's father, George W. Bush, is a "beautiful, funny, kind, sweet man".[27]

In March 2019, Hager started Read with Jenna, a monthly book club on Today Show.[28] In April 2019, Hager began co-anchoring the fourth hour of Today with Hoda Kotb following Kathie Lee Gifford's departure.[29]

In 2019, Hager was able to participate with Willie Geist in a special episode of How Low Will You Go, which aired on the Today Show.[30]

In 2021, Hager reacted emotionally to the storming of the United States Capitol, stating live on air: <templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

I have had the privilege of standing on those steps for several inaugurations, not just for family members but for the first black president of the United States of America. I kissed my grandfather goodbye in that rotunda. I have felt the majesty of our country in those walls, and nobody can take that from any of us.[31]

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In February 2022, Hager signed a first-look deal with Universal Studio Group.[32]

On a November 2022 episode of Today with Hoda and Jenna, Hager confessed that she "never wears underwear".[33][34][35] Later that month, she appeared on Watch What Happens Live and told host Andy Cohen that she did not wear underwear during a dinner she had with King Charles, then Prince Charles, the night before Queen Elizabeth II died.[36]

In February 2023, she announced her third book, Love Comes First, and sources reported "Jenna's Top Picks"[37] and other endorsement deals.

Sports investment

In February 2021, The Washington Post reported that Chelsea Clinton, Hager, Dominique Dawes, and Briana Scurry were part of an investment group, investing in the Washington Spirit professional soccer club in the National Women's Soccer League.[38][39]

Book Club Picks

In March 2019 on the Today Show, Hager introduced her book club Read with Jenna.[40]

Featured Month[41] Book Title Author
February 2025 This is a Love Story Jessica Soffer
January 2025 The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus Emma Knight
December 2024 Devotions Mary Oliver
November 2024 This Motherless Land Nikki May
October 2024 The Mighty Red Louise Erdrich
September 2024 Blue Sisters Coco Mellors
August 2024 The Wedding People Alison Espach
July 2024 All the Colors of the Dark Chris Whitaker
June 2024 Swift River Essie Chambers
May 2024 Real Americans Rachel Khong
April 2024 Husbands Holly Gramazio
March 2024 The House on Mango Street Sandra Cisneros
March 2024 The Great Divide Cristina Henriquez
February 2024 Good Material Dolly Alderton
January 2024 The Waters Bonnie Jo Campbell
December 2023 We Must Not Think of Ourselves Lauren Grodstein
November 2023 The Sun Sets in Singapore Kehinde Fadipe
October 2023 How to Say Babylon Safiya Sinclair
September 2023 Amazing Grace Adams Fran Littlewood
August 2023 Summer Sisters Judy Blume
July 2023 Banyan Moon Thai Thao
June 2023 The Celebrants Steven Rowley
May 2023 Chain-Gang All-Stars Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
April 2023 Camp Zero Michelle Min Sterling
March 2023 Black Candle Women Diane Marie Brown
February 2023 Maame Jessica George
January 2023 Sam Allegra Goodman
December 2022 The Secret History Donna Tartt
November 2022 The Cloisters Katy Hays
October 2022 The Whalebone Theatre Joanna Quinn
September 2022 Solito Javier Zamora
August 2022 The Many Daughters of Afong Jamie Ford
July 2022 The Measure Nikki Erlick
June 2022 These Impossible Things Salma El-Wardany
May 2022 Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt
April 2022 Memphis Tara M. Stringfellow
March 2022 Groundskeeping Lee Cole
February 2022 Black Cake Charmaine Wilkerson
January 2022 The School for Good Mothers Jessamine Chan
December 2021 Bright Burning Things Lisa Harding
November 2021 The Family Naomi Krupitsky
October 2021 The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles
September 2021 Beautiful Country Qian Julie Wang
August 2021 The Turnout Megan Abbott
July 2021 Hell of a Book Jason Mott
June 2021 Malibu Rising Taylor Jenkins Reid
May 2021 Great Circle Maggie Shipstead
April 2021 Good Company Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
March 2021 What's Mine and Yours Naima Coster
February 2021 Send for Me Lauren Fox
February 2021 The Four Winds Kristin Hannah
January 2021 Black Buck Mateo Askaripour
December 2020 The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison
November 2020 White Ivy Susie Yang
October 2020 Leave the World Behind Rumaan Alam
September 2020 Transcendent Kingdom Yaa Gyasi
August 2020 Here For It R. Eric Thomas
August 2020 The Comeback Ella Berman
July 2020 Friends and Strangers J. Courtney Sullivan
June 2020 A Burning Megha Majumdar
May 2020 All Adults Here Emma Straub
April 2020 Valentine Elizabeth Wetmore
March 2020 Writers & Lovers Lily King
February 2020 The Girl With the Louding Voice Abi Daré
January 2020 Dear Edward Ann Napolitano
December 2019 Late Migrations Margaret Renkl
November 2019 Nothing to See Here Kevin Wilson
October 2019 The Dutch House Ann Patchett
September 2019 The Dearly Beloved Cara Wall
August 2019 Patsy Nicole Dennis-Benn
July 2019 Evvie Drake Starts Over Linda Holmes
June 2019 Searching for Sylvie Lee Jean Kwok
May 2019 A Woman Is No Man Etaf Rum
April 2019 The Unwinding of the Miracle Julie Yip-Williams
March 2019 The Last Romantics Tara Conklin

In 2022, Hager expanded her book list to children's reading, called Read with Jenna Jr.[42]

In September 2023, Hager introduced the podcast she hosts, "Open Book with Jenna," wherein she interviews authors.[43]

Personal life

File:Hager with Bushes.jpg
Barbara Bush (left), Laura Bush, newlyweds Henry and Jenna Hager, and George W. Bush shortly after the wedding ceremony on May 10, 2008, at the Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas

Bush met Henry Chase Hager during the 2004 presidential campaign. They became engaged in August 2007. Before proposing, Hager asked President Bush for permission to marry his daughter.[44] Their relationship became public when the two appeared together at a White House dinner for The Prince of Wales and his new wife The Duchess of Cornwall (now King Charles III and Queen Camilla) in November 2005. Henry Hager attended St. Christopher's School, in Richmond, Virginia, and he holds an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia. He worked as a U.S. Department of Commerce aide, for Carlos Gutierrez, and as a White House aide, for Karl Rove.[45] He is the son of former Virginia Republican Party Chairman John H. Hager, who previously served as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia and as the U.S. Department of Education Assistant Secretary, under George W. Bush.[46] The wedding took place during a private ceremony, on May 10, 2008, at her parents' Prairie Chapel Ranch, near Crawford, Texas. Henry and Jenna Hager have three children.[47][48][49][50]

Unlike most of her relatives (but like her twin sister, Barbara), Hager is not a member of the Republican Party. While registering to vote in New York, she mistakenly registered with the Independence Party of New York while meaning to declare herself a nonpartisan.[51] In 2010, Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Bush told People that they preferred not to identify with any political party, stating, "We're both very independent thinkers."[52][53][54]

Hager serves on the board of the Greenwich International Film Festival.[55][56]

Publications

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See also

References

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  9. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ "Jenna describes friendship with John Kerry's daughters during 2004 campaign", today.com, 5 Nov 2020, accessed 11 October 2021
  13. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  14. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  23. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  27. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  29. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".
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  46. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  47. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  48. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  50. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  51. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  54. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  55. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  56. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

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