Jenna Bush Hager Addresses Controversy Surrounding Dad George W. Bush and Ellen DeGeneres

In October, many of Ellen DeGeneres' fans were angered by a viral video of showing her and wife Portia de Rossi hanging out with George W. Bush and wife Laura Bush at an NFL game.

By Corinne Heller Feb 13, 2020 3:53 PMTags
Jenna Bush Hager, George W. Bush, Ellen DeGeneresNathan Congleton/NBC, Getty Images

NBC's Today show co-host Jenna Bush Hager is defending her father George W. Bush and Ellen DeGeneres following the backlash over their viral hangout session last year.

In October, many of her fans were angered by a viral video of showing the talk show host and wife Portia de Rossi sitting and chatting with the former president and wife Laura Bush at a Dallas Cowboys game. Ellen said on her show that people were upset about a "gay Hollywood liberal sitting next to a conservative Republican president," and that she and the former U.S. leader were "friends," adding, "I'm friends with a lot of people who don't share the same beliefs that I have."

On Bravo's Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Wednesday, Jenna was asked for her thoughts on the controversy, and echoed Ellen's comments.

 "I had just had a baby, so to be totally honest, I didn't pay that much attention to it," she said, referring to her welcoming her third child Hal three months prior to the incident. "But I do think that people can have different beliefs and still be friends."

"I think so too," host Andy Cohen said.

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"And I also think decency and humanity should be at the basis of all conversation," Jenna added.

(E!, Bravo and NBC are part of the NBCUniversal family.)

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