Image copyright AP Image caption The Justice said she regretted her remarks

US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has apologised for her recent criticism of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.

Justice Ginsburg said she regretted her remarks and they were "ill-advised".

"Judges should avoid commenting on a candidate for public office. In the future I will be more circumspect," she said in a statement.

The liberal judge, 83, came under fire after she called Mr Trump a "faker" in an interview with CNN.

"He has no consistency about him. He says whatever comes into his head at the moment. He really has an ego," she told CNN.

On Wednesday, Mr Trump called on the top judge to retire after making "very dumb political statements" about him.

Justice Ginsburg also recently told the New York Times she could not imagine a Trump presidency, joking that she would move to New Zealand if he should win in November.

"I can't imagine what this place would be - I can't imagine what the country would be - with Donald Trump as our president," she said.

Mr Trump hit back, telling the New York Times her comments were "highly inappropriate" and a "disgrace to the court".

Critics on both the right and left said Justice Ginsburg may have risked her legacy to insult Mr Trump and could undermine the credibility of the Supreme Court.

Mr Trump, who has never held political office, pulled off a stunning win in the primary contests by beating 16 other Republicans, including seasoned governors, senators and congressmen.

He is expected to unveil his running mate on Friday and next week he will be formally named as the Republican nominee at the party's annual convention in Cleveland.