Jenna Bush Hager Opens Up About Turning Down ‘Today’ Job
Jenna Bush Hager has been on the Today Show for years, but it took several tries to get her to take the job. She reveals what was holding her back and who finally encouraged her to join the morning program. Keep reading to find out all the details on the surprising admission.
Jenna Bush Hager Opens Up About Turning Down Today Job
Jenna Bush Hager joined the Today Show in 2019. She worked her way up from correspondent to host of the show’s fourth hour alongside Sheinelle Jones. A conversation about Stephen Colbert revealing why he accepted a job hosting The Late Show sparked Jenna Bush Hager to discuss her own hesitation to join Today.
CBS canceled The Late Show last year and it aired its final episode on May 21, 2026. In an interview leading up to the finale, Stephen Colbert revealed that his sister encouraged him to accept the job back in 2015. Jenna Bush Hager opened up about who encouraged her to join Today after turning it down several times.
“When I got offered to work at The Today Show, I was a teacher, and I loved it. For years, I said ‘no’ to even taking a meeting. I was like, ‘No, no. I’m working. I really like my job. No, thank you,’” she recalled.
She revealed that her grandmother, former First Lady Barbara Bush, encouraged her to “take the meeting” and hear NBC out. After a difficult year teaching, Jenna Bush Hager did take the meeting and has been a staple on the morning program ever since.
“I think hearing that from her, somebody who I admired so much, I was like, ‘What am I doing? Always take the meeting,’” Jenna Bush Hager said about her grandmother’s advice.
Viewers Beg Her To Stop This One Bad Habit
The former First Lady and President George H.W. Bush helped Jenna Bush Hager realize that being a news anchor is her dream job. Many viewers love her, but some believe she has a very bad habit during interviews and especially with her co-host, Sheinelle Jones.
One fed-up viewer took to Reddit to share their grievance with the Today Show host.
- “Jenna REALLY needs someone to tell her not to interrupt Sheinelle CONSTANTLY”
Other viewers chimed in with their thoughts on the bad habit.
- “She’s the worst. Still and always was. What were her actual qualifications in the first place”
- “She’s from the school of Kelly Clarkson, interrupting too frequently and taking the spotlight away from another’s story.”
- “Plus she is SO LOUD!”
- “She did a GREAT job hosting with the guest hosts (from what I remember) but she is too young and too inexperienced sitting next to Sheinelle.”
- “Terrible nepo hire, NBC.”
Viewers have Jenna Bush Hager’s grandparents to thank for her accepting a role on the Today Show. Share your thoughts in the comments.
