Politics Politician Families Jenna Bush Hager Reflects on ‘Double-Edged Sword’ of Being a ‘Nepo Baby’ The 'Today with Jenna & Friends' host was 7 when her grandfather became president and 20 when her father took the same office By Rachel Raposas Rachel Raposas Rachel Raposas is a Digital News Writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2024. People Editorial Guidelines Published on February 19, 2025 04:55PM EST Comments Jenna Bush Hager, and the Bush Family in 2001. Photo: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty; Pool Photo/Newsmakers Jenna Bush Hager's experience as a "nepo baby" is complicated. The Today with Jenna & Friends host — also the daughter of former President George W. Bush — opened up on her Wednesday, Feb. 19, broadcast about coming from a prominent family and what that meant for forging her own path. Being a child of fame has a lot of layers to it, she said. Jenna Bush Hager Says Dad George W. Bush's Viral Inauguration Expressions Are 'Blowing Up Our Family Group Chat' Bush Hager and her twin sister, Barbara Pierce Bush, were 20 years old when their father was sworn into the highest office in the country, and only 7 years old when their grandfather George H.W. Bush assumed the same office in 1989. Thus, the sisters have spent the majority of their lives in the public eye. "Sometimes my children say 'nepo babies' and I'm like, 'I mean, I kind of am one, kids,' " she admitted on the air. Barbara, Laura, George W. and Jenna Bush in 2008. Shealah Craighead/The White House via Getty "But I also think it's hard. People want [nepo babies] to fail," she continued. "Barbara and I are serious workaholics and I've tried to figure out why, and I think it's because we want to prove to people that it isn't always easy." The expectations that come with the nepo-baby reputation are a burden, she said, but also significant motivators for the twin sisters, Bush Hager said. Her co-host Justin Sylvester concurred, and suggested that people with famous parents "have to work twice as hard" to prove that they deserve a platform. "I'm glad I work really hard and I'm glad I have the family that I have. But I also need to, at some point, be like, 'Okay, I did it. I proved it.' And I can also be happy with my kids at home," Bush Hager said, adding, "I think it's a double-edged sword." Jenna Bush Hager Shares the Meaningful Mantras She Tells Her Kids to 'Infuse Goodness' Before Bed Barbara, Jenna, George W. and Laura Bush in 2001. Newsmakers/Getty Bush Hager has a list of accomplishments under her belt — in addition to her longstanding position on the Today Show, she's also worked as a teacher and authored a number of children's books. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. When she was first offered a job at Today as a correspondent, Bush Hager wasn't sure she wanted to take the position. It was her grandparents who convinced her to take the leap, she previously told PEOPLE. "That's kind of what our family has given us," she said. "They have allowed us to take risks and hope that everything works the way we want it to." Close Leave a Comment