U.S. Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced the Small Business Liberation Act, which will exempt small businesses from broad global tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump in April 2025.
[Note: The President has used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) — claiming that a national economic emergency exists — to impose broad tariffs on countries across the world to counter what he says are disadvantageous trade deficits. Numerous courts have ruled that the IEEPA-based tariffs are unlawful because their imposition exceeded presidential authority.]
As seen in the video below, Hirono said the bill is designed to “provide relief to the millions of small businesses in our country who are taking it in the neck with these tariffs.”
This disgraceful comment is shocking even by your own low standards, @MazieHirono.
Fair trade isn’t the problem – your calculated, violent rhetoric is.
It’s evil and beneath the office. pic.twitter.com/KU3iG15vOS
— Kelly Loeffler (@SBA_Kelly) September 18, 2025
Trump’s Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Kelly Loeffler, criticized Hirono for using the idiom “taking it in the neck,” by writing on social media: “This disgraceful comment is shocking even by your own low standards, @MazieHirono. Fair trade isn’t the problem – your calculated, violent rhetoric is. It’s evil and beneath the office.”
Many X users criticized Loeffler’s response to Hirono. As one replied: “‘Calculated, violent rhetoric.’ ‘Evil and beneath the office.’ What idiocy is this, Kelly? Merriam-Webster: ‘Get it in the neck, British, informal, to be severely punished or criticized.’ Nothing Hirono said even remotely matches what you wrote. Bizarre!”
Another replied: “Are you insane? There’s absolutely nothing violent in the Senator’s comments. Do you want calculated, violent rhetoric? Look to your own dear leader.”
Another wrote: “Your comment is beyond beneath any cabinet official. You’re supposed to help small businesses, not crush them, which is what the Trump policies are doing. But maybe that was the goal? Pay back corporate campaign donors?”
Hirono also replied to Loeffler, dismissing the notion she used violent rhetoric and doubling down on her message with a shift to the profane.
Hirono wrote: “You’re right. I should have been more direct: Small businesses are getting [expletive] by your disastrous tariffs.”
Note: Regarding the legal challenges to Trump’s use the IEPPA Act to impose the tariffs, Trump’s top trade advisor Peter Navarro said this week that the administration’s backup plan (if the courts continue to rule that the president doesn’t have the authority to impose the tariffs) is that the Supreme Court rules in Trump’s favor. Navarro said, “If the Supreme Court rules against us, it’ll be catastrophic.”