Jenna Bush Hager was overcome with emotion on the Today show Thursday when she learned that her father, former President George W. Bush, called her and her twin sister Barbara his greatest accomplishment.
The 35-year-old Today correspondent was filming the show’s New & Noteworthy segment when Al Roker and Sheinelle Jones surprised her with a clip of her father’s recent joint interview with former President Bill Clinton.
When asked about his greatest accomplishment, the father-of-two named his two daughters, and Jenna started to tear up as she watched her dad respond.
Unexpected: Jenna Bush Hager was surprised with a clip of her father, former President George W. Bush, talking about his greatest accomplishment on the Today show Thursday
Heartwarming: The 35-year-old started to tear up as her father named her and her sister Barbara his greatest accomplishment
Daddy’s girls: ‘My daughters love me,’ Bush said, noting that it is challenging to have teenage daughters
‘My daughters love me,’ Bush said. ‘As Bill will tell you, it is a challenge to have teenage daughters when you are the president, and it is a challenge any time to have teenage daughters.
‘Thanks to Laura’s guidance and love, our little girls, our family unit is strengthened, and I think that is a great accomplishment,’ he added.
After watching the footage, Jenna turned to her co-stars in disbelief and said: ‘That’s what he said his greatest accomplishment was?’
Although she was truly touched, Jenna couldn’t resist cracking a joke about how she was arrested for trying to order beer with a fake ID when she was 19 years old.
Proud parents: ‘Thanks to Laura’s guidance and love, our little girls, our family unit is strengthened, and I think that is a great accomplishment,’ Bush said of his wife
Stunned: After watching the footage, Jenna turned to her co-stars in disbelief and said: ‘That’s what he said his greatest accomplishment was?’
Tearing up: After joking about how she got arrested for a fake ID as a teen, Jenna started comfort eating a doughnut
‘I never got arrested. Only once!’ she told the audience.
‘That was so cute. Thank you for surprising me,’ Jenna added. ‘That makes up for not being invited. At least somebody loves me.’
Sheinelle praised Jenna for being a ‘really sweet person’, while pointing out that it was probably wonderful for her father to have someone like her around.
‘I don’t know why I am crying,’ Jenna said as her eyes continued to well with tears.
Full house: Jenna and her husband Henry Hager also have two daughters, Mil and Poppy. They are pictured with her parents and sister last Christmas
Cake time! Jenna’ daughter Poppy (left) range in her second birthday with Savannah Guthrie’s daughter Vale (right) who turned three on the same day
The emotional moment inspired the mom to ‘comfort eat’, and she grabbed a doughnut from the table and took a big bite.
Like her father, Jenna and her husband Henry Hager are also parent to two little girls, Mila and Poppy, and last week they celebrated their youngest daughter’s birthday.
Jenna’s daughter shares a birthday with her co-star Savannah Guthrie’s little girl and the two moms happily threw their children a joint celebration on August 13 in honor of Vale turning three and Poppy turning two.
And, in their typical style, both moms took to social media to gush about their babies and share sweet photos of their excited little faces.
Getting ready: Jenna paid tribute to her ‘fearless’ daughter Poppy in a sweet Instagram post
Happy girl: Savannah also honored her daughter Vale on Instagram for her birthday
Just like mom! Jenna’s four-year-old daughter Mila visited her at work earlier this month
‘Three years of joy, love, smiles, laughs, happy tears – thanking God for the gift of a lifetime, Vale,’ Savannah wrote in the caption for her post.
She included an image of her cute little girl, smiling away and posing in a gray T-shirt reading: ‘It’s my birthday!’
As for Jenna, she posted an equally sweet snap of her toddler fastening a red party hat to her head in anticipation of her celebrations.
‘Happiest 2nd to our fearless Poppy! Two years of love with you in the world,’ she wrote.
To properly ring in the day, Poppy and Vale given a big plate full of cupcakes with candles ready to blow out.
Jenna shared a photo of the moment, capturing the little girls’ ecstatic expressions, and writing ‘Birthday Buddies’ in the caption.