Top Democrat says Trump's July 4 fireworks extravaganza looked like 'the end of the world'

By ALEX HAMMER, US MEDIA CORRESPONDENT Published: 15:31, 6 July 2026 | Updated: 15:44, 6 July 2026 A prominent progressive political strategist has panned the pyrotechnics seen during Donald Trump's America 250 fireworks display as disorganized and over-the-top. Former Obama advisor Jon Cooper offered the stern assessment on X on Monday. Attached was footage from Trump's 'grand fireworks finale' that left behind multiple mushroom clouds. Cooper complained about the event being delayed until 11pm due to record-breaking heat while framing it as apocalyptic. 'Trump’s July 4th finale - which was so poorly planned it didn’t actually take place until July 5th - looked less like a fireworks show and more like the end of the world,' he wrote. The footage was shared by NFL analyst Warren Sharp. He joked: 'End the show by making it look like the Capitol was nuked.' The firework display was the largest in history, with a total of 850,000 explosives fired off. Democratic commentator Joanne Carducci called it 'the pyrotechnical equivalent of [a] hump happy terrier relentlessly mounting an elderly, deaf and blind cat.' Trump's 'grand fireworks finale' that left a haze over the skies of Washington, DC, early Sunday is being criticized as over-the-top Former Obama advisor Jon Cooper compared the display to the end of the world on Monday The post took an unfavorable view of the display due to its size Cooper was the Long Island Campaign Chair for Obama's 2008 presidential campaign and a major fundraiser of the then-president's bid for reelection. A businessman from Lloyd Harbor, Long Island, he served six terms as a Suffolk County legislator before declining to support Hillary Clinton’s presidential ambitions in 2007. He has since surfaced as a major critic of Donald Trump.  In 2015, Cooper was the national finance chair of a Democratic super PAC created with the goal of convincing Joe Biden to run for president.  'For me, supporting the effort to draft Joe Biden to run for president was a no-brainer,' Cooper said at the time. Trump, meanwhile, was in the crowd Saturday to watch the fireworks, which he later praised in a Truth Social post.  A post from the official White House X account similarly framed the pyrotechnics display as a success. 'PARTY IN THE USA. Best fireworks show, EVER,' it read. Trump’s July 4th finale — which was so poorly planned it didn’t actually take place until July 5th — looked less like a fireworks show and more like the end of the world. #America250 pic.twitter.com/ORaPOOCXdf The explosions were so intense they blinded at points, leaving behind a haze over the DC skyline The president was also in the crowd to watch the display, which featured roughly 850,000 fireworks The display was so intense it left a haze over the city's skyline. A 'Code Red Air Quality Alert' was also issued. Residents were told to limit time outdoors due to poor air quality. 'The general public may experience health issues,' the city's air quality alert read. 'Seniors, children, and people with medical conditions' like asthma and lung disease were told to take precautions. The air quality went back down to Code Yellow, a more moderate level, on Monday morning.