‘Today’s Hoda Kotb Teases Jenna Bush Hager For Making The First Move On Her Husband: “You Practically Proposed To Him On Date Three”

Hoda Kotb shut Jenna Bush Hager down during Monday’s (April 29) broadcast of Today after she claimed she played it cool when she first met her husband.

The Today co-hosts were discussing Nicole Kidman and her husband, country singer Keith Urban, when the topic of Bush Hager’s marriage came up. Urban had reportedly said meeting Kidman for the first time felt like he was “meeting a real-life princess,” which Bush Hager joked did not resonate with her own marriage.

“That’s sweet,” she said, before adding with a laugh, “I don’t think Henry would call me a princess.” Bush Hager met her now-husband of 16 years, Henry Hager, when he worked in the White House for her father, former U.S. President George W. Bush.

Kotb, who has always praised her co-host for her confidence, knew that Bush Hager “made the first move” when she met Henry. “You know what I like about you, when you would like something or want something you say it, you don’t hide it, you don’t try to be coy with it, you just say it,” Kotb said.

“Yes, and I sort of held back a little and kind of kept my options open, a little,” Bush Hager replied. She then told Kotb, “Don’t give me that look,” as her co-host began to disagree.

“You did not!” Kotb said. “You practically proposed to him on date three.”

“I did, but that was after I knew he was caught,” Bush Hager said. She then said she “kind of made the first move and then I retracted, just a little.”

When Kotb asked why her co-host “retracted,” Bush Hager replied, “Because I read the rules.” But it was only a matter of time before she “came all in” on their relationship, she said.

She added, “I know that’s an annoying thing, but if you act like you’re crazy about somebody, if I had proposed date one, that might have been too strong.”

Kotb eventually came around to agree. “I do think just basic human nature is when something is gushing a hundred times an hour you back up, and when something is dripping, sadly, you lean in, it’s gotta be somewhere in the middle,” she said.

“And as soon as they’re caught, you can propose!” Bush Hager joked. “As soon as they’re caught, go ahead and propose. But wait a couple of months.”

Today with Hoda and Jenna airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.