"White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that Donald Trump was meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado 'right now' - but also said the president 'likes what he's seeing' from interim leader Delcy Rodriguez during her briefing from DC on Thursday. "My understanding is that it's underway right now. I know the President was looking forward to this meeting, and he was expecting it to be a good and positive discussion with Miss Machado," she said. "As for Miss Rodriguez, the president did speak with her directly this week, as you know," she continued. "They have been extremely cooperative. They have thus far met all of the demands and requests of the United States and of the President. And I think you have all seen that play out." "We obviously had a $500 million energy deal that was struck in large part because of the cooperation from Ms. Rodriguez… So the President likes what he's seeing and will expect that cooperation to continue," she added. 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 Rodriguez has insisted her administration is in control. "