French President Francois Hollande said he and France 's first lady were going through `` painful moments , '' as he faced questions Tuesday over an alleged affair with an actress . In his first appearance before the media since the allegations surfaced in the French tabloid Closer linking Hollande romantically to actress Julie Gayet , the President was immediately asked about his personal life when he handed the floor to journalists following a nearly 40-minute speech . Asked whether his partner , Valerie Trierweiler , was still the first lady of France , Hollande said personal affairs should be dealt with in private . `` Everybody in their personal lives can go through hardships . This is the case for us , '' he said . `` These are painful moments , but I have one principle : Private affairs are dealt with in private . This is not the place nor the time to do this . '' Hollande and Trierweiler are expected next month on a state visit to the United States at the invitation of President Barack Obama and his wife , Michelle . Their itinerary includes a February 11 state dinner at the White House . Speaking at the Elysee Palace to outline his new-year plans for the economy , Hollande said he would clarify the situation before the February trip . The allegations , which emerged Friday , have sparked a media firestorm of a kind not usually seen in France , where privacy is closely guarded . Trierweiler was hospitalized shortly after the report appeared . `` Catastrophic scenario '' According to French national daily Le Monde , Hollande 's news conference -- the first of 2014 and only his third in office -- was supposed to be a chance for the embattled leader , who has seen his popularity slump since his 2012 election , to relaunch his agenda . Instead , it is a `` catastrophic scenario , '' the newspaper reported -- with him trying to deal with questions about his private life as briefly as possible and turn the focus back to economic matters . Jean-Francois Cope , leader of the opposition UMP , told television channel France 5 over the weekend that the allegations were `` disastrous for the image of the presidential office , '' adding that the story was dominating international media coverage of France . Former Prime Minister Alain Juppe , also of the UMP , is quoted by CNN affiliate BFMTV as saying that `` many people overseas who specialize in 'French bashing ' are having a field day . '' Asked if there should be moves to formalize the position of the first lady -- in contrast to the United States , the partner of the French president has no defined status -- Juppe said that might not be the solution . `` In France , we love status . We can create a status for the first lady and for the second lady as well , perhaps , '' he joked . Hospitalization . Patrice Biancone , head of Trierweiler 's Elysee office , told CNN on Sunday the first lady had been hospitalized since Friday . He said she `` needed rest '' and he hoped she would leave the hospital early this week . `` We all know why she went in after the story came out , '' said Biancone , clearly making the link between the revelations of the magazine and Trierweiler 's hospitalization . Hollande , 59 , left his longtime common-law wife , Segolene Royal -- the mother of his four children -- for Trierweiler , 48 , before the 2012 presidential election . The two are not married but live together , and she makes official state appearances . They met when Trierweiler was a reporter for Paris Match magazine . She still works for the publication . Right to privacy . Hollande did not tackle the claims in the Closer article head-on as he announced ideas to tackle unemployment and measures such as deep public spending cuts to boost economic growth , which he said had to be `` as vigorous as possible . '' The story has however prompted questions in French media about Hollande 's right to privacy , whether his security may have been jeopardized during his alleged liaisons , and Trierweiler 's future status as first lady . Closer reported that Hollande had been slipping out of the back door of the Elysee Palace and hopping on a motor scooter driven by a bodyguard to Gayet 's apartment . The magazine also said the bodyguard brought croissants to the apartment one morning . Asked whether his security was jeopardized in this case , the President said , `` My security is insured everywhere and all times . Privately I go around with less security . People should not worry . '' Hollande has not confirmed or denied the alleged affair but has threatened legal action . A statement from his entourage Friday to news agency Agence France-Presse said Hollande `` deeply condemns the attacks on the right to privacy which he has a right to like every other citizen . '' A survey last month by French polling organization Ifop gave Hollande an approval rating of 22 % , a rise of 2 percentage points from the previous month , when he hit a record low . Hollande , who was elected after campaigning to put growth before austerity and introduce higher taxes on the rich , has been urged by his European partners and international institutions to be bolder with his economic reforms . France 's faltering economic performance last year , accompanied by stubbornly high unemployment figures , led to fears the second-biggest economy in the eurozone could act as a brake on the region 's fragile recovery .
Francois Hollande says he 'll clarify status of first lady before Paris visit 1 A French magazine has alleged he is having an affair with actress Julie Gayet . France 's first lady , Valerie Trierweiler , was hospitalized after the report surfaced .