New York: A crucial confirmation vote on US President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been delayed so the Senate can hear testimony from the judge and the woman who has accused him of attempting to sexually assault her while in high school.

The emergence of sexual assault allegations by Christine Blasey Ford has thrown Kavanaugh's confirmation process into turmoil. It's also raised the possibility that Trump's nominee may not join the nation's most powerful court as appeared almost certain just days ago.

On Sunday, Ford, a research psychologist at Palo Alto University in Northern California, went public with allegations that Kavanaugh had tried to rape her while at a high school party.

She alleged that a drunken Kavanaugh pinned her to a bed, groped her and covered her mouth to keep her from screaming.