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Jenna Bush Hager Says White House Announced Her 2007 Engagement Before She Could

Her on-air account highlights how official White House communications can turn private milestones into breaking news.

Overview

  • On the Oct. 7 episode of Today with Jenna & Friends, she recalled spotting “Jenna Bush to be married” on CNN at a Boston airport after her parents issued a release.
  • An archived 2007 White House statement confirmed the engagement date as Aug. 15 and identified Henry Hager as the son of the Honorable and Mrs. John H. Hager of Richmond, Virginia.
  • She said Henry prepared a seven-point plan for his proposal and that President George W. Bush quickly gave his blessing without hearing all the points.
  • She noted that her twin sister, Barbara, and some friends already knew, though others learned from the official announcement.
  • She compared the experience to recent celebrity revelations, joking she “Taylor’d” people after Taylor Swift said Ed Sheeran learned of her engagement on Instagram.