The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has strongly criticised remarks made by US President Donald Trump, describing his “mocking ​of Islam and his threats to attack ​civilian infrastructure” as reckless and ⁠dangerous.

In a message, Trump threatened on social media to strike power plants and bridges in Iran, urged Tehran to open the Strait of ​Hormuz, “you crazy bastards,” or face “living in Hell,” and signed off with the phrase “Praise be to Allah.”

In a public statement, CAIR condemned Trump’s “mocking of Islam” and raised concerns over what it viewed as threats targeting civilian infrastructure.

CAIR said the casual use of “Praise be to Allah” in the context of violent threats reflected a willingness to weaponize religious language while showing contempt for Muslims and their beliefs.

The advocacy group warned that such rhetoric could inflame tensions and contribute to further misunderstanding and hostility.

The organisation took issue with Trump’s use of the phrase “Praise be to Allah” within the context of violent remarks.

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the remarks by Donald Trump point to what it described as a concerning pattern of using religious expressions in a manner that misrepresents their meaning and shows a lack of respect for Muslim beliefs.

Many political commentators stressed that political leaders are expected to refrain from remarks that could be seen as promoting violence or undermining religious communities and called for more measured and respectful language in public discourse.

President Trump’s remarks about the rescue of a US airman as an “Easter miracle” also raised eyebrows.

Political commentators pointed out that some other US officials also followed Trump’s remarks and endorsed his views.

In their remarks, Trump and other regime officials frame the rescue operation in religious terms that portrayed the war as a just cause and divinely ‌blessed.

In the past, administrations typically issued postcard-style Easter greetings, and critics said officials’ messages this time had blurred the line between faith and policy by invoking religion to justify the war and shape the military’s conduct.

“The rescue was an Easter Miracle,” Trump told NBC’s Meet the Press, and some cabinet members followed with messages of their own.

In a social media message, ⁠Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent drew on the symbolism of Easter.

“The Easter miracle is considered the greatest victory ​in history,” Bessent said on X.

“And so, it (is) fitting on this holiest of Christian days that a brave American warrior was rescued from behind enemy lines ​in one of the greatest search and rescue missions in military history.”

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote “God is good” on his private account on X on Sunday, reposting a social media post by Trump about the success of the rescue mission in Iran.

Axios, citing an interview with the Republican Trump and an unnamed US defence official, reported that it was the phrase ​uttered by the rescued officer over the radio after he ejected from his aircraft.

Trump said at his inauguration in 2025 ​that God enabled him to survive an assassination attempt during the 2024 election campaign.

“I felt then and believe even more so now that my life was saved for a ‌reason. I ⁠was saved by God to make America great again,“ he said then.

But his blending of religious references with threats of military action drew some criticism on Sunday.

Republican former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, writing on X, accused Trump of betraying Christian values.

She said Christians in the administration should be “pursuing peace” rather than “escalating war” and argued that Jesus’ teachings emphasised forgiveness and love, including toward enemies.

Last month, a group of 30 Democratic US lawmakers asked ​Defence Department Inspector General Platte Moring to investigate reports that some within the US military had sought to justify ​the war in Iran ⁠by invoking “biblical end-time prophecies.”

“At a time when billions of dollars and untold numbers of lives hang in the balance while the Trump administration wages a war of choice in Iran, the imperative of maintaining strict separation of church and state and protecting the religious freedom of our troops is especially critical,” the letter to the ⁠inspector general ​said.

“We must ensure that military operations are guided by facts and the law, not end-times ​prophecy and extreme religious beliefs,” the letter said.