"White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that Donald Trump stood by previous comments about Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado - and why she would not be able to leader that country - during her briefing from DC on Thursday. It came as Trump met Machado at the White House as the briefing took place. "I think the President's assessment that you just pointed out was based on realities on the ground," Leavitt said. "It was a realistic assessment based on what the President was reading and hearing from his advisors and national security team. And at this moment in time, his opinion on that matter has not changed." Following his strikes on Venezuela, Trump insisted that Machado, who beat him to the Nobel Peace prize, "doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country" to become leader. US forces launched strikes on Venezuela and seized President Nicolas Maduro and his wife earlier this month. Trump vowed that he will 'run' Venezuela, while interim leader Delcy Rodriguez has insisted her administration is in control."