Jenna Bush Hager reveals ‘very weird’ detail about her engagement – as she admits she was ‘cranky’ on the day husband proposed

Jenna Bush Hager has shared a “weird” detail about the day her husband, Henry, proposed to her at the top of a mountain, admitting she was “very grumpy” before he popped the question.

During a candid chat on Thursday’s episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna, the 42-year-old and her cohost, Hoda Kotb, were discussing Lady Gaga’s recent comments about her proposal from Michael Polansky, when Jenna decided to reminisce about her own proposal.

Gaga, 38, confirmed that Michael proposed while they were rock climbing — but not when they were at the top — prompting Hoda, 60, to say, “Isn’t it interesting? Not at the top of the mountain, which might have been predictable,” but Jenna was unimpressed.

Hoda giggled as the mother of three defensively said, “I was proposed to from the top of a mountain. Do you call that a predictable proposal?’ before continuing, “We hiked Cadillac Mountain, which is in Acadia in Maine National Park, which is so beautiful, and he asked me to marry him at the top.

“Listen, I didn’t predict it. In fact, I was acting very grumpy, a little grumpy, and he said, “Let’s stop for a Luna Bar, the sun is about to rise, let’s watch it together,” and I said, “No, I I’m too cold to go.” Stop.”

Henry and Jenna pictured in May 2006, less than a year before he proposed while hiking in Maine

‘I said, “Please let’s keep going,” and he said, “Can we please stop for a Luna Bar?” and I said, “No, you can’t,” and then he finally said, “We’re stopping for a Luna Bar,” and then he proposed.”

Hoda, who recently announced she’s leaving her job at Today, said at the time: “I think some people like to make big proposals and big things and spectacles and all that kind of stuff, and I think some people… yours privately were,” while Jenna fired back, “Well, it was private, except there was a Secret Service guy sitting a few steps behind!”

The mother-of-two laughed and then said, “So, after you and Henry, he was the first other person to know about your proposal?” Isn’t that strange?’

“Yes, very strange,” the former first daughter replied, before adding: “That’s why I need a lot of therapy!”

Jenna was just 23 when she first met Henry, now 46, during her father George W. Bush’s 2004 presidential campaign.

After a nervous Henry asked President Bush for permission to marry his daughter, he proposed to Jenna in August 2007.

The happy couple tied the knot a private ceremony on May 10, 2008 at Jenna’s parents’ Prairie Chapel Ranch, near Crawford, Texas.

Last month, Jenna admitted that she and her twin sister Barbara “burst into tears” when their father told them he had made the decision to run for president of the United States of America.

Henry and Jenna, pictured here in August 2023, celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary in May this year

Jenna pictured with her father, former President George W. Bush, on her wedding day in Texas in May 2008

While co-hosting an episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna with stand-in host Sheinelle Jones in September, Jenna discussed their upcoming guest, Ketanji Brown Jacksonand her new memoir when she decided to share the anecdote.

“She has a story, and I’m just going to tell you before she gets here because it weighs on my conscience,” Jenna told Sheinelle, 46.

So she writes about when she was on President Obama’s short list to possibly become a Supreme Court justice, she and her husband sat their daughters down, she had two girls and said, ‘Listen, this is going to change your life. . and I want to make sure you’re okay.” And they said, “Yes, Mom, this has been your dream, we believe in you.”

She continued, “Well, I have a similar story… unfortunately, when I was 16, my dad sat my sister and I down and said, ‘Listen, we really need your support. I would like to run for president. “‘

Her cohost, Sheinelle, then asked, “What did you say?” as Jenna revealed, “We burst into tears! As only twins can do, we cried in unison! We said, “No, you’re going to ruin our lives, Dad.” And then we said, ‘And even if you run, you’re going to lose.'”

“Well, that didn’t happen,” Sheinelle responded while Jenna joked, “Well, it was close!” Anyway, we went after him and have since publicly apologized as adults. That was terrible.’

Of course, George W. won the November 2000 election and served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009.