(CNSNews.com) -- When asked whether state authorities will enforce social distancing rules "for mosques during Ramadan" as they did for Christian churches "during Easter," President Donald Trump said he would "like to see that," but added he has seen "a great disparity" in America when it comes to enforcement of the distancing rules.
Trump also said, "I don't know what happened with our country but the Christian faith is treated much differently than it was. And I think it's treated very unfairly."
During a press conference on April 18, a reporter asked the president about one of his retweets. The original tweet was by reporter Paul Sperry, who wrote on April 14, "Let's see if authorities enforce the social-distancing orders for mosques during Ramadan (April 23-May 23) like they did churches during Easter."
President Trump replied, "I would like to see that. And, you know, I just spoke with leaders and people that love mosques; they love mosques, and I'm all in favor of that. But I would say that there could be a difference. And we'll have to see what will happen, because I've seen a great disparity in this country. I've seen a great disparity."
"I mean, I've seen a very strong anti-Israel bent in Congress with Democrats," said Trump. "It was unthinkable seven or eight or 10 years ago. And now they're into a whole different thing between [Rep. Ilhan] Omar and AOC -- I say AOC plus three. Add them on."
"I mean, the things that they say about Israel are so bad," added Trump. And I -- I can't believe it."
AOC is the acronym for House Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), a self-described socialist.
Trump continued, "Now -- just a minute. So I would be interested to see that, because they go after Christian churches, but they don't tend to go after mosques. And I don't want them to go after mosques, but I do want to see what their -- what their bent is."
Another reported then asked if the president was suggesting that imams would not follow social distancing guidelines?
Trump replied, "No, I -- I think that -- I just had a call [with] imams. I just had a call with ministers, rabbis. We had a tremendous call with the faith leaders. No, I don't think that at all."
"I am somebody that believes in faith," said the president. "And it matters not what your faith is, but our politicians seem to treat different faiths very differently."
"And I don't know what happened with our country, but the Christian faith is treated much differently than it was," he said. "And I think it's treated very unfairly.
Ramadan begins on Thursday, April 23.
The national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Nihad Awad said in a press release, "President Trump's bigoted attempt to use American Muslims as a political football just before the holy month of Ramadan was as divisive as it was insulting."
Trump's claim that American mosques "receive preferential treatment compared to other faiths is an Islamophobic fantasy," said Awad. "Instead of fanning the flames of bigotry to distract the public from his own failures, the President should focus on combating the continued spread of the coronavirus."