Vulgar language used by President Donald Trump on Thursday sent news outlets scrambling to make a quick decision: how to approach using the word in print, online, on social media and on television to inform readers and viewers?

There were a variety of responses across the country, ranging from repeated usage of the obscenity to some censorship.

Trump's statement came as he met with lawmakers Thursday to discuss protecting immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador and African countries, The Associated Press reported.

"Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?" Trump said, referring to countries mentioned by the lawmakers.

The use of profanity isn't common in news stories. Oftentimes direct quotes are paraphrased if they contain obscene language, or the potentially offensive word is eliminated from a quote.

The New York Times used part of Trump's statement in the first sentence of its story. The Times's standards editor Phil Corbett explained that the language was "crucial to the point of the story," in a statement posted on the outlet's Twitter account.

"So it seemed pretty clear to all of us that we should quote the language directly, not paraphrase it," he said. "We wanted to be sure readers would fully understand what the story was about."

Although it's not in the article's headline, 'shithole' is in the lede: https://t.co/CBltsfV2fi . Phil Corbett, The Times's standards editor, explains why. pic.twitter.com/9p0AQa5HvQ

— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 12, 2018

The Washington Post used the language in a headline on its story. Executive editor Martin Baron said in a statement that it was a quick discussion with no debate.

"When the president says it, we'll use it verbatim," he said.

Exclusive: Trump attacks protections for immigrants from 'shithole' countries in Oval Office meeting https://t.co/R1aOB8EAGB

— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 11, 2018

Lester Holt of "NBC Nightly News" warned the audience and a banner on the program censored the word with asterisks, as did a report on "Good Morning America" on ABC.

"We want you to know our report includes that expletive once that you can hear the complete quote for yourself," Holt told viewers.

CNN didn't hold back — the word was used repeatedly on screen and during news programs.

Phil Mudd on Trump's 'shithole countries' comment: 'How many times do we learn the lesson that this is the land of the free and the home of the brave? It's not the land of the bigots.' https://t.co/rYObUz3bfo https://t.co/dytX9t54Z2

— CNN (@CNN) January 12, 2018

Locally, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on its Twitter account that its publisher asked that the word not be used in a story's first sentence.

Our publisher is requesting us to remove @realDonaldTrump 's 'vulgar language' from the lede in our @AP story about his vulgar language.

— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (@PittsburghPG) January 12, 2018

On Friday morning, Trump defended himself on his Twitter account.

The language used by me at the DACA meeting was tough, but this was not the language used. What was really tough was the outlandish proposal made - a big setback for DACA!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 12, 2018

Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@tribweb.com or via Twitter @byrenatta.

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