On the occasion of the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in July, Jenna Bush Hager (44) has interviewed four living ex-presidents, Joe Biden (83), Bill Clinton (79), George W. Bush (79), and Barack Obama (64) on the Today show for the event titled History Talks .
The leaders shared reflections on their most significant moments in the Oval Office, the importance of national unity, and conveyed messages of hope.
Jenna, daughter of George W. Bush and his wife Laura (79), was born one minute after her twin sister Barbara. Despite being born into privilege, her childhood was quite normal. In an interview, she explained how she grew up. "Most of the time, our parents would read us a story in their bed. The four of us were together while my mother and father took turns reading aloud."
Her mother, who worked as a librarian, always instilled in her daughters a passion for reading, which was a key influence in Jenna becoming a writer.
At the age of 7, her grandfather, George H.W. Bush, was sworn in as President of the United States, and after turning 13, her father became the governor of Texas. It was at that moment that the family moved from Dallas to Austin, where she completed her studies at the University of Texas earning a degree in English Philology with a specialization in creative writing and literature.
During her college years, she made headlines multiple times for alcohol-related offenses. She went to court once for underage drinking and another time she was accused of a minor offense for attempting to use a fake ID with the name Barbara Pierce - her paternal grandmother's maiden name - to buy alcohol.
That period was quite tumultuous for the Bush sisters, who earnestly asked their father not to run for presidential elections because it would drastically change their lives. Their parents told them that each had to live their own lives, so thanks to the voters, the Bushes were in the White House from 2001 to 2009.
After college, Jenna worked as a teacher's assistant in a public charter school, then took a leave of absence to work at a shelter in Panama as part of an internship with one of UNICEF's departments. Upon her return, she resumed her previous position. In 2007, she made her literary debut with Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope, with a portion of the proceeds going to the aforementioned organization.
The following year, she co-authored Read All About It! with her mother to promote reading among young people. Since 2009, Jenna has been working at NBC News as a correspondent and at Today as a contributor, correspondent, and host.
One of her most surprising revelations came in November 2022 on the show Today with Hoda and Jenna. "I never wear undergarments," she said. Shortly after, she revealed to Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live that she also went commando during dinner with the then Prince Charles the night before the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
In May 2008, the daughter of the former President of the United States married businessman Henry Hager at her family's ranch, the Prairie Chapel Ranch, spanning 6.4 square kilometers, located in Texas, which the emeritus couple visited two decades ago.
The couple met in 2004 when Hager worked on her father's presidential campaign, George W. Bush, and Henry served as an aide to Karl Rove, the president's chief advisor. The couple has three children, Mila (13), Poppy (10), and Henry (6).