Jenna Bush Hager says that dad George W. Bush and Ellen DeGeneres can be friends despite 'different beliefs'

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Ellen stands up to Twitter mob, defends sitting with former President Bush

Instead of bowing to pressure, the daytime TV host takes on her critics; reaction on 'The Five.'

Jenna Bush Hager thinks that just because you have different beliefs, doesn't mean two people can't be friends.

The NBC anchor, 38, appeared on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen" with her "Today" co-host Hoda Kotb and answered a question from a fan about the controversy that went down on the Internet after her dad, former President George W. Bush, sat next to Ellen DeGeneres at a football game in October 2019.

“Well, I mean, I had just had a baby so to be totally honest I didn’t pay that much attention to it,” Hager admitted. “But I do think that people can have different beliefs and still be friends.”

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She added, “And I also think decency and humanity should be at the basis of all conversations."

Last fall, social media was divided when DeGeneres, 62, and Bush, 73, were photographed sitting next to one another at a Dallas Cowboys-Green Bay Packers football game, laughing in a suite. Some people were offended that a gay liberal Hollywood figure would be friendly with a Republican president.

The following week, DeGeneres defended her "friend" on her talk show.

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"When we were invited, I was aware that I was going to be surrounded with people from very different views and beliefs. And I'm not talking about politics. ... I was rooting for the Packers," DeGeneres joked. "So I had to hide my cheese hat in Portia's purse."

"They thought, why is a gay Hollywood liberal sitting next to a conservative Republican president? ... A lot of people were mad. And they did what people do when they're mad ... they tweet," she said.

"Here's the thing: I'm friends with George Bush. In fact, I'm friends with a lot of people who don't share the same beliefs that I have," DeGeneres continued. "We're all different and I think that we've forgotten that that's okay that we're all different ... but just because I don't agree with someone on everything doesn't mean that I'm not going to be friends with them."

"When I say, 'Be kind to one another,' I don't mean only the people that think the same way that you do. I mean be kind to everyone. Doesn't matter," she added.

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Bush's spokesman, Freddy Ford, told Fox News at the time: "President and Mrs. Bush really enjoyed being with Ellen and Portia (de Rossi) and appreciated Ellen’s comments about respecting one another. They respect her. "