Jenna Bush Hager shared a heartwarming family moment with viewers when her 10-year-old daughter, Poppy, made a surprise appearance during the June 25 episode of Today with Jenna & Sheinelle.
The unexpected cameo came as the cameras cut to Bush Hager standing beside co-host Sheinelle Jones with her arm wrapped around Poppy, who smiled and waved at the audience from the studio.
“Look who we have here visiting,” Jones said as the young guest appeared on screen.
Bush Hager happily introduced her daughter, saying, “Poppy Louise Hager stopped in,” prompting Jones to warmly greet her by name before Poppy offered another cheerful wave.
Poppy is the middle child of Bush Hager and her husband, Henry Hager, whom she married in 2008. The couple also share daughter Mila, 13, and son Hal, 6.
Last year, Bush Hager revealed the touching inspiration behind Poppy’s name, explaining that it honors her late grandfather, former President George H. W. Bush, whose longtime nickname was “Poppy.”
She recalled watching a documentary about her grandfather while pregnant, during which an elderly man emotionally recounted how George H. W. Bush had defended him from antisemitic bullying as a young student.
According to Bush Hager, the man’s story immediately convinced her that “Poppy” was the perfect name for her daughter because she hoped to raise a child who would stand up for others, make people feel included, and never hesitate to speak up when something was wrong.
Bush Hager has also spoken openly about raising her children with many of the same values her own parents, former President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, instilled in her and twin sister Barbara Bush.
One example is her decision to delay giving her oldest daughter, Mila, a cellphone despite many classmates already owning one. She believes the choice encourages independence and teaches her children to interact confidently with others in everyday situations.
Reflecting on her childhood, Bush Hager said her parents filled everyday life with creativity and wonder, encouraging their daughters to see magic in ordinary moments. She now strives to create that same sense of joy for her own children, while also reminding parents to put down their phones and experience the world through their kids’ eyes.
For Bush Hager, those simple moments of curiosity and connection are among the greatest gifts of parenthood—and Poppy’s sweet surprise visit to the Today studio gave viewers another glimpse of the close-knit family behind the television host.
