Jenna Bush Hager Shares Her Reactions to a Memorable Inauguration

Jenna Bush Hager had a lighthearted take on former President Barack Obama being a ‘bad influence’ after a lip-reader shed light on their comical exchange during a recent inauguration. The event took place on January 20, gathering notables like Bill and Hillary Clinton, George W. and Laura Bush, and Obama, who attended sans wife Michelle.

A social media user known as Jackie G, who identifies as deaf, shared her playful interpretation of the exchange between Presidents Obama and Bush on Instagram, where she goes by @tismejackieg. She suggested that Obama initially greeted Bush smilingly with, “Good to see you,” before hinting at a grin and a question, “How can we stop what’s happening?”

Jackie G humorously captioned her post with: “Obama ‘just barely’ behaving.”

After departing from the Capitol Rotunda, when questioned about Bush’s behavior during Trump’s swearing-in, Obama jokingly commented to a Washington Post journalist, Emily Davies, “Just barely.”

This remark tied to another video Davies posted that day, showcasing a staffer teasing Bush with, “Are you going to behave?” To which Obama humorously interjected, “Nope.”

Social media erupted with reactions to this delightful exchange. One Instagram user remarked, “This Is Amazing. You are amazing.” Another admired the account, exclaiming, “You’re doing the lord’s work.” “Laughing and crying at the same time,” a third commented.

Despite the humor, Jackie G included a reminder that lip reading isn’t always accurate, adding: “Lip reading is not a reliable form of communication, all statements are alleged.”

Jenna Bush Hager Talks About the Viral Moment on TV

On the January 21 episode of Today, Jenna Bush Hager remarked that her family group chat was buzzing over the events from the previous day. “You all guessed what’s trending in our family chat,” she said. “Yes, my dad went viral during the broadcast yesterday.”

She noted the internet’s fixation on her father’s “cheeky smile and playful demeanor” in the viral clips.

Hager shared that her father seemed to be suppressing laughter, hinting that perhaps eye contact with someone caught him off guard. She humorously defended her dad, adding, “You can’t solely blame him as it seems he was seated by a mischievous companion.”

“Take a peek at Former President Barack Obama’s role,” she jokingly pointed out. “It’s endearing how they become playful friends when together,” Hager concluded.