Jenna Bush Hager & Her Husband Henry Disagree On This One Major Parenting Move

Every parent has a different approach to raising their kids. This reality may even apply on a couple-to-couple basis, and can sometimes cause relationship strain when partners fail to agree on their chosen methods. For instance, former President George W. Bush's daughter Jenna Bush Hager and her husband, Henry Hager, once exhibited their differences on live TV. While some viewers may not have batted an eye at the relatively quick exchange, others could have seen it as another red flag that the Hagers are headed for divorce. In an era where television and social media render it incredibly quick and easy to share every aspect of your personal life, parents differ considerably on whether it's appropriate to broadcast their children through these channels. 

During his guest appearance on the March 27, 2025 episode of Jenna's show "Today with Jenna & Friends," Henry made a comment about the couple's son and two daughters' cameos in a video that was included in the same installment, thus illustrating his stance on their public exposure. Jenna seemed proud of the video, and asked her husband if he enjoyed seeing their kids on live television. Henry responded by showing displeasure with his kids being featured on the show, though he conceded that their good luck message to him was wholesome. 

Henry's unsmiling expression said all we needed to know about his preferences. While he maintained a professional demeanor and kept the conversation going, the brief moment conveyed that the proud father would probably rather not see his elder daughter with Jenna, or any of their children, on TV again. The List reached out to Dr. Kim Van Dusen, LMFT, RPT, a licensed child therapist and parenting expert, for her take the couple's opposing approaches to this prickly issue. 

Former President George W. Bush's daughter and media personality Jenna Bush Hager has spent significantly more time in the public's eye than her husband, Henry Hager, who admitted in his March 2025 "Today" appearance that he isn't used to gracing television screens. Dr. Kim Van Dusen explained their differing experiences could have an adverse impact on how they go about raising their kids. "In my experience working with parents and families, it is more common for parents to disagree on parenting matters, since they both come from different backgrounds and perspectives, than agree on how to parent their children," she said. Dr. Van Dusen suggested that the Hagers find a middle ground on the matter to lessen their chances of marital conflict.

It may be difficult for Henry to meet in the middle, however, if his main goal is to keep them out of harm's way. Dr. Van Dusen said many parents avoid displaying their children on a mass scale (on TV, on social media, or both) to keep them safe, maintain their privacy, and shield them from public ridicule. "Parents that keep their children off of television and social media are doing it out of protection," she said. Depending on how strongly Henry feels about his kids going on TV, there may be no convincing him to ease up on his parenting beliefs if, to him, it means putting their safety on the line.