Jenna Bush Hager Honors Grandmother Barbara Bush with Tribute After USPS Stamp Reveal
The stamp arrives on what would've been Barbara Bush's 100th birthday.
To Jenna Bush Hager, President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush will always be her "Gampy" and "Ganny." Through the years, the TODAY co-anchor has shared many stories about her beloved grandparents, including when grandmother Barbara left behind a sentimental gift after her passing in 2018. (President George H.W. Bush also passed away in 2018.) Just like Jenna's bond with her father George W. Bush, she was also very close to her grandfather and grandmother.
Now, married to her husband Henry Hager since 2008 and a mother of three children, the Emmy winner has said that she finds comfort in those sweet memories. “As long as I’m alive, my grandparents will not be forgotten," Jenna writes in her 2020 book, Everything Beautiful in Its Time. "I hear their voices in the letters they sent me and in my memories. They offer comfort, support, and guidance, and I will listen to them always.”
One memory that brought tears to her eyes was when she read a love letter her grandfather had written on their 49th wedding anniversary. And, of course, when Jenna shared that her grandparents recited a heartfelt Bible verse at her Texas wedding. Even better? First Lady Barbara Bush now has a USPS stamp that will always remind Jenna of her.
Read on to learn more about the TODAY star's loving relationship with her Bush grandparents, including their secret to their long marriage that made Jenna tear up.
Jenna Bush Hager will use the Barbara Bush stamp as a sweet gesture for her daughters
Days after what would've been Barbara Bush's 100th birthday, the former first lady was honored by the USPS with a Forever stamp featuring her official 2005 White House portrait. Available on June 10, 2025, the Barbara Bush Forever stamp recognizes her "not only as a beloved first lady, but as a remarkable American in her own right,” Doug Tulino, acting postmaster general of the Postal Service, said in a statement.
"This is special for me," Jenna said about Barbara Bush on TODAY, going on to share that she had just had a dream about her late grandmother. "I feel like she's still with us in a million different ways."
Carson Daly then suggested that she give her daughters, Mila and Poppy, a memento. "You should write your daughters a letter, use that stamp, and tell them not to open it until later on," he said.
"I love that!" Jenna responded. "I'm going to do that right now."
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Why Barbara Bush's granddaughters called her "The Enforcer"
While Barbara Bush's granddaughters, Jenna and her twin sister Barbara Pierce Bush, called her "Ganny," they also grew up knowing her as "The Enforcer."
"We called you 'The Enforcer.' It was because, of course, you were a force and you wrote the rules and your rules were simple. Treat everyone equally, don't look down on anyone, use your voices for good, read all the great books," Jenna wrote in a letter to her grandmother, going on to share a story that illustrated that legendary nickname.
"I will never forget when Barbara and I as 7-year-olds snuck to the bowling alley and ordered presidential peanut butter sandwiches," Jenna's letter continued. "We couldn't wait for someone to deliver what was sure to be the fanciest sandwich of our lives when you opened the door, scolding us, telling us under no circumstances could we order food in the White House again, this was not a hotel. You taught us humility and grace."
Jenna Bush Hager teared up talking about her grandparents' love and long marriage
During a 2016 episode of TODAY, Jenna choked up while sharing a sweet story about her grandparents' secret to being married and in love for over 70 years.
"We always ask our grandparents, whenever we get a chance, to talk about their love and how they've kept it going," she told co-host Hoda Kotb through tears. "I don't think it's always been easy. But what they say is they both — and I see this, it's true, it's not just words — go 75% of the way. You can't both go 50%. You both have to go 75% of the way. And they've done it."
"And now, you go into their house in Houston or in Maine, they're watching Law & Order really loud and have earphones on," she continued. "They're both in La-Z-Boys and they're holding each other's hands."
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Jenna Bush Hager dressed up as her grandmother, a '90s icon, for Halloween
For Halloween in 2016, the TODAY team dressed up in an amazing theme — '90s icons. And Jenna had the perfect source of inspiration. Her grandmother served as First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993, and has been revered as an icon ever since.
"This is a flash forward to what I'm going to look like in my golden years," Jenna said on TODAY at the time, dressed in a white wig, pearls, and a red blazer.
Jenna's "Ganny" then popped in for a surprise appearance, dressed in a black witch hat. "I heard she was going to dress up like a witch, so I did, too," she joked before giving her granddaughter her seal of approval. "You look better than I ever looked."
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Jenna Bush Hager remembers these beautiful words from her grandfather George H.W. Bush
During a 2023 interview on the Everything Happens podcast with author Kate Bowler, Jenna shared the wise words that her late grandfather had told her before he passed away in 2018. Jenna and her family were on a beach vacation for spring break, and the TODAY co-anchor was a bit bummed when it started pouring. Even though it was very cold, her kids suggested they just swim in the rain and ended up having the best time.
"I just had this moment of realization," she said. "When my grandfather was much older and was dying, he, like, whispered to me, it was hard for him to even talk. And we were sitting at dinner and he was like, 'Don’t forget to be in the game. Don’t forget to live in the game.'"
Jenna shared that while swimming in the rain sounds more magical than it actually is, her grandfather's words reminded her to live in the moment and show up for her loved ones. "I’m going to be that mom, or that friend, or that colleague who’s going to give it my all, you know?" she said. "And not only because he said that to me, but that’s in my DNA. It’s who I am."
