Saudi Arabia is an important U.S. ally in the Middle East. However, the ascension of Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman, colloquially known as MBS, to the political forefront in Riyadh initially stretched U.S.-Saudi relations to the limit.

President Donald Trump arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday to a royal-purple-carpet rollout and a motorcade ride ensconced by a calvary of Arabian horses – a daylong kickoff to the first major international trip of his second term.

A previous arms deal agreed during Trump’s first term in 2017 between Saudi Arabia and the also promised a big headline figure. At the time, the White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the deal included "an immediate $110 billion investment" which would "grow to $350 billion over the next 10 years".

Before Trump began his visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, his sons Eric and Donald Jr. had already traveled the Middle East extensively in recent weeks. They were drumming up business for The Trump Organization, which they are running in their father’s stead while he’s in the White House.

President Trump travels this week to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. One goal: getting these countries to agree to invest billions in the U.S.