Former Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama and Biden reveal why they have hope for America’s future

President Obama: The LegacyFormer Presidents Clinton, Bush, Obama and Biden reveal why they have hope for America’s futureThe four former presidents spoke to Jenna Bush Hager in a "TODAY" exclusive about what message they have for Americans ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Add NBC News to GoogleClinton, Bush, Obama and Biden Share Message for America25016:32Get more newsLiveonShareAdd NBC News to GoogleApril 21, 2026, 9:10 AM EDTBy Scott Stump, TODAYFormer Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are sharing a message of optimism with Americans as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The four presidents each spoke individually with Jenna Bush Hager in a "TODAY" exclusive on April 21 in which they expressed their hope for the future and affirmed the principles they believe are a bedrock of American government and civic life.Bush Hager spoke with Biden, 83; Obama, 64; Clinton, 79; and her father, 79, at a private event in Philadelphia over the weekend called “History Talks,” which was hosted by the History Channel.The event traditionally features former presidents and was done in partnership with Comcast, the parent company of NBC Universal. President Donald Trump is also working with the History Channel on an America 250 project that they plan to announce later this spring.Former President Barack Obama sits down with NBC's Jenna Bush Hager.Tyler Essary / NBC NewsDuring her conversation with Obama, Bush Hager asked whether he still feels the hope in the country that was once a driving principle of his historic presidential campaign in 2008.“The first time I was on the national stage and I talked about hope, I reminded people hope is not blind optimism,” Obama said. “And obviously we’re going through some uncertain times, but when you look at the sweep of Amer...