George W. Bush ‘Didn’t Care’ When People Made Fun of Him as President, Jenna Bush Hager Says: ‘He Loved It’

Like most presidents, George W. Bush was no stranger to being the butt of jokes during his time in office — and according to his daughter Jenna Bush Hager, the former head of state never seemed to mind.

Speaking on Wednesday's episode of the Today with Hoda & Jenna, 42-year-old Bush Hager told co-host Hoda Kotb that her own love language "is roasting."

"Gently roasting," she clarified. "I try not to be mean."

When Kotb asked if Bush Hager's dad liked when she roasted him, the former first daughter responded, "Yes, I like to harass my dad. Like when he was the president, Barbara and I would show him … like the Saturday Night Lives where they made fun of him and stuff. He loved it!"

Bush Hager continued: "Like when Will Ferrell [impersonated him,] but there were other comedians who also did things. Once, we were at the gym and there was a bumper sticker that said, ‘A Village in Texas Is Missing Its Idiot.’ Barbara and I read it, took a minute and then we were like... We told our dad. He didn’t care. He thought it was hilarious."

"That’s the difference. I think if you can’t laugh at yourself, then you feel like there’s some truth to it," Kotb replied.

Bush Hager said, "But also, if you’re going to be the president of the United States, people are going to make fun of you. And guess what — it ain’t just about you. That’s how it is, man. That’s how it is, that’s how it’s always been!"

The former president is no stranger to creating laughs of his own and, since he left the White House, Bush Hager has spent a lot of time recounting some of his funniest moments — including how he made dating "intimidating" and once "humiliated" her husband when the two went on a bike ride together.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"[My dad] shredded him," she said of the ride with her husband, Henry Hager. "Left him in the dust. And by the way, back then, he was president so all the Secret Service cars would go past him."

She continued: "So Henry's humiliated, trying to fix his chain that broke on his Schwinn Twin. He starts going down the hill and the Secret Service open the door on Henry and Henry flies in the air and lands. So my dad calls and goes, 'Hey, J, just want to tell ya, Henry did an okay job. He did get doored, but he's okay. He's got some scratches, he might have hurt his arm, but he's okay.'"

Afterward, Bush Hager said Henry confided: "I think your dad was trying to kill me."