Jenna Bush Hager: Remarkable Career, Family, Husband & Life

Introduction

Jenna Bush Hager is an American television personality, journalist, author, and publishing entrepreneur best known for her work on NBC’s TODAY and her influence in the book world. She joined TODAY as a correspondent and contributor in 2009 and later became a co-host of its fourth hour. She is also the founder of Read With Jenna and Thousand Voices.

Beyond television, her public profile is closely connected to the Bush family. She is the daughter of former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, the twin sister of Barbara Bush, and the wife of Henry Hager. She and Henry have three children.

Jenna Bush Hager Quick Bio

Biography Detail	Information
Full Name	Jenna Welch Bush Hager
Born	November 25, 1981
Birthplace	Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Parents	George W. Bush and Laura Bush
Twin Sister	Barbara Bush
Education	University of Texas at Austin
Degree	English
Husband	Henry Chase Hager
Married	May 2008
Children	Mila, Poppy, and Hal
Profession	Television Host, Author, Journalist, Publisher
Known For	TODAY, Read With Jenna, and Thousand Voices

Who Is Jenna Bush Hager?

Jenna Welch Bush, later known as Jenna Bush Hager, was born on November 25, 1981, in Dallas, Texas.  She grew up in a prominent political family but developed a professional identity centered on education, journalism, television, books, and storytelling.

Her career has evolved from teaching and international education work to television and publishing. Today, she remains associated with TODAY while expanding her involvement in the publishing industry through Thousand Voices.

Her Role in Television and Publishing

Bush Hager joined NBC’s TODAY in August 2009 as a correspondent and contributor. Her work eventually led to a regular hosting position, making television one of the central parts of her professional career.

Books are another major part of her career. She founded Read With Jenna, TODAY’s book club, in 2019. The club has become a significant part of the program’s literary coverage, with Bush Hager selecting books and discussing them with authors and viewers.

Her publishing interests later expanded through Thousand Voices, a media company she founded that works with authors and filmmakers. Its publishing partnership with Random House Publishing Group focuses on debut and emerging writers.

Her Connection to the Bush Family

Bush Hager is one of the twin daughters of George W. Bush and Laura Bush. Her father served as the 43rd president of the United States, while her mother served as first lady from 2001 to 2009.

Her family background has inevitably influenced her public life, but her career has developed beyond her identity as a former first daughter. Her work in education, television, books, and publishing has become an important part of her public profile.

Early Life and Education

Bush Hager spent her childhood in Texas and grew up alongside her fraternal twin sister, Barbara. The family became especially prominent when George W. Bush entered national politics and eventually became president.

Childhood and Family Background

Jenna and Barbara are the only children of George and Laura Bush. Their grandparents included former President George H.W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush on their father’s side.

Her maternal grandmother was Jenna Hawkins Welch, whose name was also reflected in Jenna’s own name. The family’s history therefore includes multiple generations of public service, education, and political involvement.

The George W. Bush Presidential Library records that George and Laura Bush have twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, and identifies Henry Hager as their son-in-law.

Education and Early Interests

Bush Hager graduated from Austin High School in 2000 and later attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English in 2004.

Her early interests also included education and community service. Before establishing herself in television, she worked as a teacher in Washington, D.C., giving her professional experience outside the political and media worlds.

Her interest in literacy and books would later become a defining feature of her career, particularly through Read With Jenna and her publishing work.

Jenna Bush Hager’s Career

Bush Hager’s professional path has included teaching, international education work, writing, journalism, television, and publishing. That range helps explain why her current career extends beyond a traditional television-host role.

Journalism and Early Professional Work

After college, Bush Hager taught third grade at Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. She later became involved with UNICEF-related work and traveled internationally, experiences that contributed to her interest in education and children’s issues.

Her first book, Ana’s Story: A Journey of Hope, was published in 2007. The children’s book drew on the story of a young Latin American mother living with HIV and reflected Bush Hager’s interest in education and global health.

She subsequently co-authored Read All About It! with her mother, Laura Bush. Other books associated with Bush Hager include Our Great Big Backyard, Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life, and Everything Beautiful in Its Time: Seasons of Love and Loss.

Books and Publishing

Books have remained a consistent thread throughout Bush Hager’s career.

Her Read With Jenna book club launched in March 2019 and became a recurring literary feature connected to TODAY. The official TODAY book-club page continues to publish her selections, including monthly picks in 2026.

Bush Hager subsequently moved further into publishing with Thousand Voices. According to the company’s official site, Thousand Voices is a media company and community founded by Bush Hager that works with authors, screenwriters, and filmmakers.

A separate Thousand Voices publishing venture was launched with Random House Publishing Group. The partnership is designed to identify and support debut and emerging authors, with involvement across editing, marketing, publicity, and sales.

This represents an important development in her career: she is not simply recommending books but is also participating in the process of bringing new authors and stories to readers.

Career at NBC’s TODAY

Bush Hager joined TODAY in 2009 and gradually took on more prominent responsibilities. Her work included reporting, interviews, and appearances alongside the show’s anchors.

On February 26, 2019, NBC announced that she would replace Kathie Lee Gifford as co-host of the show’s fourth hour alongside Hoda Kotb.

Her role has since evolved with the program. The current TODAY team identifies Bush Hager as co-host of TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle, alongside Sheinelle Jones.

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Jenna Bush Hager’s Husband and Marriage

Jenna Bush Hager has been married to Henry Hager since 2008. Their relationship began before her television career became her primary public role.

Who Is Henry Hager?

Henry Chase Hager is Jenna Bush Hager’s husband. The two first met in 2004 while connected to George W. Bush’s presidential campaign. At the time, Henry worked as a staff assistant for presidential adviser Karl Rove.

Henry later became known publicly through his connection to the Bush family and his professional career.

Their Marriage and Family Life

The couple became engaged in 2007 and married on May 10, 2008, at the Bush family’s Prairie Chapel Ranch near Crawford, Texas. The White House documented the couple’s wedding day with an official photograph of Jenna, Henry, George W. Bush, Laura Bush, and Barbara Bush.

Nearly two decades into their marriage, Jenna and Henry have built a family with three children. Their relationship has remained a recurring part of Bush Hager’s public discussions about marriage, parenting, and family life.

Jenna Bush Hager’s Children and Family

Jenna Bush Hager and Henry Hager have three children: daughters Margaret Laura “Mila” and Poppy Louise, and son Henry Harold “Hal.”

Her Children

Their eldest child, Margaret Laura “Mila” Hager, was born on April 13, 2013. Poppy Louise Hager, Jenna Bush Hager’s second daughter, was born on August 13, 2015.  Their son, Henry Harold “Hal” Hager, was born on August 2, 2019.

The children’s names also reflect family connections. Poppy’s name honors George H.W. Bush, whose family nickname was “Poppy,” while Hal is commonly used as Henry’s nickname.

The children occasionally appear in stories and family photographs shared publicly by their parents and extended family, but Bush Hager generally discusses motherhood through everyday experiences rather than making her children’s private lives the focus of her career.

Balancing Family and a Public Career

Balancing television work with raising three children has become an important theme in Bush Hager’s public conversations.

She has spoken on TODAY about parenting, family logistics, and the challenge of maintaining a meaningful relationship with each child while working in a demanding media career. Recent coverage also shows her discussing the ordinary humor and difficulties that come with raising children.

Her approach illustrates a broader part of her public identity: television and publishing are major professional commitments, but motherhood remains central to the way she describes her life outside work.

Notable Family Connections

The Bush family remains an important part of Jenna Bush Hager’s personal history and public identity. Her relationships with her parents and twin sister have also appeared throughout her television and publishing work.

Her Relationship With George W. Bush

George W. Bush is Jenna Bush Hager’s father and the 43rd president of the United States. His presidency placed Jenna and her sister Barbara in the public spotlight during their young adulthood.

Their relationship has continued after his presidency. George has publicly celebrated Jenna’s professional and family milestones, while Jenna has discussed her father in interviews and on TODAY.

Their family connection is particularly visible through the grandchildren. George and Laura Bush now have five grandchildren, including Jenna’s three children and Barbara’s two children.

Her Relationship With Laura Bush and Her Siblings

Laura Bush is Jenna’s mother and a former first lady who previously worked as a teacher and librarian. Her background in education and literacy also provides an important connection to Jenna’s later focus on books and reading.

Jenna’s twin sister is Barbara Bush. The sisters have collaborated professionally, including as co-authors of Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life, while also maintaining a close relationship as adults.

The extended Bush family continues to gather around major milestones, holidays, birthdays, and family occasions. Publicly shared family photographs have shown Jenna, Barbara, their parents, spouses, and children together over the years.

Jenna Bush Hager’s Life Today

Today, Bush Hager occupies two closely connected professional spaces: television and publishing. She remains a TODAY co-host while continuing to develop Read With Jenna and Thousand Voices.

Her current publishing work represents a significant expansion of the role she established through her book club. Thousand Voices now works with emerging authors and has partnered with Random House Publishing Group on a publishing venture designed to help new writers develop and reach readers.

At the same time, Read With Jenna remains an active part of TODAY. The official book-club page continues to feature Bush Hager’s selections and related literary coverage in 2026.

Her career therefore extends well beyond her original public identity as a member of the Bush family. Television, journalism, books, literacy, and publishing now form the central themes of her professional life.

Conclusion

Jenna Bush Hager’s career has developed across education, journalism, television, writing, and publishing. Her role on TODAY made her a familiar television personality, while Read With Jenna established her as a prominent book curator and literary voice.

Her marriage to Henry Hager and their three children form the foundation of her family life, while her relationships with George W. Bush, Laura Bush, and Barbara Bush remain important parts of her background. Today, her continued work in television and her expanding role in publishing through Thousand Voices represent the next stage of a career that has grown well beyond her identity as a former first daughter.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ;s)

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