NBC’s “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle” host Jenna Bush Hager became visibly emotional during the August 10, 2026, broadcast while recounting why she had missed the morning’s opening segments — a family baptism in Maine that left her weeping in the pews and scrambling to catch a flight back to Manhattan.
The 44-year-old television personality flew to Kennebunkport, Maine, that morning to witness the christening of Edward Finn Coyne, her two-year-old nephew and the son of her twin sister Barbara Bush and Barbara’s husband Craig Coyne. The religious ceremony unfolded at a church adjacent to Walker’s Point, the Bush family’s storied coastal estate.
Reading Poetry Through Tears
During the service, Hager was tasked with delivering a reading of Mary Oliver’s poem “When I Am Among the Trees.” The combination of the historic setting, the family gathered around her, and the sight of her sister holding the toddler proved overwhelming. Hager said, “There’s something sort of evolutionary about looking up and seeing your twin sister hold this big ol’ baby, and I couldn’t help it.”
She confessed to being “kind of weepy” throughout Edward Finn’s baptism, and the emotions resurfaced once she returned to the studio. While describing the experience to co-host Sheinelle Jones, she choked up on camera and asked aloud, “I mean, see, what is wrong?”
A Church Steeped in History
The same sanctuary holds deep roots for Hager, who attended services there as a child with her grandparents, the late President George H.W. Bush and the late First Lady Barbara Bush. Walker’s Point became a cherished retreat during the elder Bush’s presidency and continues to serve as a gathering point for the extended family. Hager’s daughters Mila and Poppy, along with her son Hal — all three born to her marriage with Henry Hager — were each christened in the same church.
Her parents, former President George W. Bush and Laura Bush, still frequent the Kennebunkport compound, maintaining its role as a family anchor across generations. For Hager, the August 10 ceremony took on added significance as she watched her nephew join that lineage.
Producers Approve the Dash to Maine
Hager’s decision to miss the first two hours of “Today” on August 10, 2026, including her regular “Jenna’s Morning Boost” and “Pop Start” segments, had been cleared in advance by the show’s production team. She rushed back from the baptism just in time to appear for the fourth-hour program, “Today With Jenna & Sheinelle.”
In her absence, co-host Savannah Guthrie filled in for the “Morning Boost” segment. Meanwhile, Jones fielded a steady stream of questions from crew members wondering whether Hager would make it back at all. Jones said, “Everybody kept asking me … I mean, I’m not Jenna’s keeper. ‘Where’s Jenna? Sheinelle, where’s Jenna? Is Jenna gonna make it?’ I’m like, ‘Well, she didn’t text me, so that means it’s gonna be just fine.’”
Hager confirmed she had touched down fresh off the plane and arrived at the studio still in travel mode, joking about the tight timeline.
Cousins Reunite Under One Roof
Beyond the christening itself, Hager spoke warmly about the rare opportunity to have all the Bush cousins together in one place. The family reunion, she said, was as meaningful to her as the religious milestone, given how scattered the relatives have become due to work and geography.
Addressing the “Nepo Baby” Label
Just two days later, on August 12, Hager publicly addressed her reputation as a “nepo baby,” acknowledging in a candid interview that she overworks herself to demonstrate that her career is the result of effort rather than legacy. The admission offered context for her relentless schedule, which frequently sees her racing from family obligations straight to a live broadcast.
Her ambitions extend beyond hosting. Reports from June 8 indicated that Hager has been expanding her executive producer responsibilities on the NBC drama “Protection,” signaling a growing role in the network’s programming strategy outside her on-air presence.
