President Donald Trump is giving farmers some $12 billion in aid to help as they struggle to sell their crops while getting hit by rising costs.

 

The move comes after the president raised tariffs on China as part of a broader trade war.

 

China has since agreed to buy more U.S. soybeans, but sales have so far been slow.

 

Farmers have backed Trump politically but his aggressive trade policies and frequently changing tariff rates have come under increasing scrutiny.

 

Associated Press photojournalist Alex Brandon was in the room for the meeting.

 

“The mood was pretty upbeat with the farmers, but both far a farmer from Louisiana and a farmer from Iowa raised really good points. They raised issues that the that actually the president said asked his members of his cabinet to take notes,” Brandon said.

 

Farmers will get the money by the end of February, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said.

 

Trump says his tariffs will help pay for the new program.

 

“But they were actually very grateful to the president and to the administration for what they see as the ability to further their livelihoods,” Brandon said.