The author was raised in Austin, Texas

Jenna Bush Hager hinted at her post-Today show plans, sharing that her dream is to return to her hometown of Austin, Texas, with her family one day.

The 43-year-old – who shares kids Mila, 13, Poppy, nine, and Hal, five, with her husband Henry Hager – opened up about wanting to give her children a different life when the family was ready to say goodbye to New York. 

Southern living

Jenna Bush Hager on Monday, March 24, 2025© Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty I
Jenna revealed her dream to move back to Texas

“I have this sort of dream – I just think everybody should have chapters in their lives,” Jenna began on Wednesday’s episode of Today. “I have a dream – I don’t know how realistic it is – but when the Jenna & Friends chapter comes to a close…” 

“Well, why would that ever happen?” her guest host Matt Rogers quipped. 

“Well…linear television, baby!” she laughed. “Who knows? But when I’m ready to go to my next chapter, I think it would be so nice to move back to Texas and let my kids – I went to a big public high school – have a different life.”

“Isn’t Austin great? I love Austin,” she added.  

Jenna has spoken at length about her home state in the past, most recently when she commented on the devastating floods that hit Central Texas in July.

“Texas is a resilient, incredible state,” she said on the show. “You all know I’m a homesick Texan living in New York, and it always is in my heart.”

In her heart

A view of damaged buildings and fallen trees at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, on July 7, 2025, following severe flash flooding that occurred during the July 4 holiday weekend. Rescuers in Texas continue to race against time to find dozens of missing people, including children, swept away by flash floods that killed more than 80 people, with forecasters warning of new deluges. In a terrifying display of nature's power, the rain-swollen waters of the Guadalupe River reached treetops and the roofs of cabins in Camp Mystic as girls slept overnight on Friday, July 4, washing away some of them and leaving a scene of devastation© Getty
27 people lost their lives in the flash flooding at Camp Mystic

The mother of three went on to discuss Camp Mystic, the all-girls Christian camp that was hit hard by the flash flooding, with at least 27 people losing their lives in the disaster. 

“Many of my friends had their kids there last week,” she said, adding that her mother, Laura Bush, had worked as a camp counselor there in her youth. 

She then explained the pain of dropping her children off at camp in Texas. 

Photo shared by Jenna Bush Hager April 20, 205 featuring her husband Henry Hager and their kids Mila, Poppy and Hal during their Easter Sunday festivities© Instagram
She is a mom to Mila, Poppy and Hal

“Putting them on the bus, saying goodbye to them…and I know so many parents whose kids are at camp or going to camp feel that way,” she said.

“We send our kids into the world with the faith that they can have happy lives, joyful lives, and as adults, we know pain, we hope our kids never face it.”

As for why she sends them all the way from New York to Texas, she simply responded: “Because of the love that’s there. Texas camps are institutions.”

Living the dream

Jenna created the Read With Jenna book club almost six years ago© Getty Images for Little Yellow L
Jenna created the Read With Jenna book club in 2019

When the time comes, Jenna will not leave the Today show set empty-handed. During her time on the show, the former teacher has developed her book club, Read With Jenna, which has gained a cult following and led to the creation of her own publishing company, Thousand Voices Media. 

The company will publish a total of eight books between Fall 2025 and Fall 2026, with all-female authors on the rota. 

“The mission of Thousand Voices Book is to pull up seats to the table for writers of all genres, from all walks of life,” she shared in an Instagram statement. “We’re so excited to discover emerging talent from all over the world and share their stories with as many readers as possible.”