Fans Still Abuzz Over Jenna Bush Hager's Secret Service Alias Revelation

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to live a double life with a secret identity, Jenna Bush Hager just gave us all a delightful peek behind the curtain. 

The beloved “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle” host recently spilled one of her most entertaining secrets from her days as a First Daughter, and honestly, it’s the kind of story that makes you feel like you’re catching up with your funniest friend over morning coffee.

During the Sept. 23 episode of her show, Jenna Bush Hager decided it was finally time to “declassify” the fake name the U.S. Secret Service assigned her when she was just a teenager. 

And let’s just say, the reveal did not disappoint.

“My name was Holly Crawford. I know, Holly sounds like a good time, doesn’t she?” Bush Hager told Sheinelle Jones, who was a guest co-host at the time.

Here’s the thing about being the daughter of a sitting president: you don’t get to pick your own secret identity. The Secret Service handles that for you, whether you like it or not. 

And as Bush Hager candidly admitted, she wasn’t exactly thrilled with the selection at the time.

Bush Hager went on to say that she was just 18 years old at the time and “didn’t love that” name, but wasn’t the one who came up with it.

Photo by Shealah Craighead/The White House via Getty Images

So where did “Holly Crawford” come from? 

Bush Hager herself isn’t entirely sure, but she had some theories to share with viewers — and her guesswork is honestly pretty clever.

“Crawford was the name where … my parents had the house [in Texas], but also holly bush. Holly. I don’t know. I just made that up,” Bush Hager said of the name.

For those who might not remember, the Bush family famously owned a ranch in Crawford, Texas, which served as a retreat during George W. Bush’s presidency. 

The “holly bush” connection? Well, that’s just the kind of wordplay that makes you appreciate whoever in the Secret Service came up with this alias. 

“All I know is, if Holly Crawford shows up, she’s ready to order a margarita,” Bush Hager joked.

When a clip from the video was shared on Instagram, something unexpected happened. 

It turns out Bush Hager wasn’t the only Holly Crawford out there, and the real Holly Crawfords of the world had plenty to say.

“I AM HOLLY CRAWFORD!!! And I don’t think the secret service did you any favors back in the day. Oh, the stories. I could have used your help to get out of some stuff! Roll Tide from the real Holly Crawford!” one user commented under the video.

Can you imagine discovering that a former First Daughter was running around the country using your actual name to book hotel rooms? 

“We’re destined to be friends. I’m Holly Bush Crawford,” another user wrote — whose middle name took the irony even further.

These interactions showcase exactly why fans feel so connected to Bush Hager. She doesn’t just broadcast at her audience; she creates moments that spark genuine conversation and community. Her willingness to share these personal tidbits invites viewers into her world in a way that feels authentic and warm.

This isn’t the first time Bush Hager has pulled back the curtain on her Secret Service experience. 

In a 2020 appearance on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,” Bush Hager revealed that — in addition to her fake name for hotels — she was given the code name Twinkle.

Twinkle! If that doesn’t perfectly capture the sparkly, effervescent personality we’ve all come to know and love on morning television, what does?

According to NBC, Secret Service code names have been a tradition since the early-1900s “for security purposes during times when electronic communications weren’t encrypted.”

The Bush family’s code names reveal a fun pattern that security enthusiasts and pop culture fans alike find fascinating. 

George W. Bush went by Tumbler and (later) Trailblazer, while his wife Laura went by Tempo and his other daughter, Barbara Bush, went by Turquoise, per NBC.