Jenna Bush Hager Reacts to Dad George W. Bush's Viral Facial Expressions at Trump Inauguration
Jenna Bush Hager had a few thoughts about her dad’s latest viral moment.
While Donald Trump was being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States at the Jan. 20 inauguration ceremony, George W. Bush’s animated facial expressions quickly garnered attention online. And it turns out, it wasn’t just the internet captivated by the moment.
"You all already guessed what moment has been blowing up our family group chat," Jenna said on the Jan. 21 episode of Today. "Yeah, my dad went viral for these cutaway shots during yesterday's broadcast. The internet's obsessed with this little smile and goofy expression."
Along with trying to contain his laughter with a playful grin, the former president—who was joined by former First Lady Laura Bush—was seen darting his eyes from side to side, raising his eyebrows and even winking. But, according to the Jenna & Friends anchor, he cannot be held solely responsible for his meme-worthy actions.
"You guys, you can't just blame him,” the 43-year-old explained, “because it looks like my dad was also seated next to a bad influence.”
“Take a look at what former President Barack Obama had to say,” she continued before playing a clip of the 44th president joking to reporters that Bush was not going to behave during the ceremony. "I just love how when they're together, they become unusual friends."
Even after the ceremony, when he was asked if he had behaved himself, Obama responded with, “Just barely.”
(Photo by Shawn Thew-Pool/Getty Images)
As for what the rest of the Bush family was doing while Obama and Bush were attending the ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda? Jenna—who shares kids Mila, 11, Poppy, 9, and Hal, 5, with husband Henry Hager—was watching at home with her family. But the mother of three admitted that their focus was mainly on one of their own.
"You know when you're watching your kid's holiday concert or whatever and, if you're honest, you don't really care about the whole scene,” Jenna said, “you're just zooming in right on your kid.”
“That's a little bit about how we watch an inauguration in my family,” she added. “I'm like, 'What's happening with the parents?'”
After all, Jenna found that her father "goes viral for basically anything.”
(Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
“He didn't do anything,” she quipped, “I mean, that's what his face looks like."
And perhaps Jenna was onto something, as the 43rd president had another viral moment at Jimmy Carter’s funeral less than a month ago—and it once again involved her dad’s “bad influence.”
As he entered the Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 9, Bush gave Obama a friendly tap on the bellywhile squeezing by him to take his seat. And, of course, the interaction did numbers on social media, with many delighted by the relationship between the Bushes and the Obamas.
But all things considered, Jenna applauded her father for being overall, “very well behaved.”
For more moments from the 2025 inauguration, keep reading…
Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
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