Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado discussed her country's future with President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, even though he has dismissed her credibility to take over after an audacious U.S. military raid captured then-President Nicolás Maduro.
Watch White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's briefing our video player above.
As the meeting was taking place, press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Machado "a remarkable and brave voice" for Venezuelans.
But she said Trump's skepticism about Machado's ability to lead the nation "has not changed."
READ MORE: Trump sidelines Venezuela's opposition leader while keeping Maduro's party in power
"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," Leavitt said.
The press secretary said Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other U.S. officials have been in "constant communication" with the acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, as well as the interim government, whom she termed as "cooperative."
The press secretary also issued a warning to Iran on behalf of Trump that "there will be grave consequences" if the killings of protesters continue.
Trump had threatened action against the regime and told protesters that "help is on the way" but said on Wednesday that he had it on good authority that the executions would be halted.
"The president received a message, as he revealed to all of you and the whole world yesterday, that the killing and the executions will stop. And the president understands today that 800 executions that were scheduled and supposed to take place yesterday were halted," Leavitt said.
Leavitt said Trump and his team continue to closely monitor the situation, adding that "all options remain on the table."
Leavitt asked about Trump's Insurrection Act threat
Saying "only" Trump could say what might push him to invoke the 1807 law, Leavitt called the Insurrection Act "a tool at the president's disposal" that has been used "sparingly" by Trump's predecessors.
READ MORE: Trump threatens to use Insurrection Act to put down protests in Minneapolis
Earlier Thursday, Trump threatened to invoke the act and deploy troops to quell persistent protests against the federal officers sent to Minneapolis to enforce his administration's massive immigration crackdown.
The threat came a day after a man was shot and wounded by an immigration officer who had been attacked with a shovel and broom handle. That shooting further heightened the fear and anger that has radiated across the city since an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot Renee Good in the head.
Leavitt said Democrats who had "held their state and local law enforcement hostage" and told them not to cooperate with federal authorities were "deranged in their hatred for President Trump."