US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is in hospital in Maryland, being treated for a possible infection.

The Supreme Court said Justice Ginsburg, 87, was “resting comfortably” at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University, where she would remain for a few days.

It said Justice Ginsburg – the court’s most senior liberal judge – had an “endoscopic procedure … to clean out a bile duct stent that was placed last August”.

Justice Ginsburg has had several spells in hospital in recent years, including treatment for a bladder condition in May. She took part in a legal argument from her hospital bed just a day later.

In December 2018, Justice Ginsburg had surgery to remove tumours on her lungs. They were spotted in a routine X-ray after she tripped in her office and broke three ribs.

At the time, Democrats feared she might die – clearing the way for President Donald Trump to replace her on the court with a more conservative judge. Justice Ginsburg has made no secret of her dislike for Mr Trump.

“I can’t imagine what this place would be – I can’t imagine what the country would be – with Donald Trump as our president,” Justice Ginsburg told The New York Times in July 2016 .

“For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be – I don’t even want to contemplate that.”

Then-presidential candidate Trump blasted the judge, accusing her of mental frailty and saying she should do the American people a favour by stepping down.

“Justice Ginsburg of the US Supreme Court has embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me. Her mind is shot – resign!” he tweeted.

Justice Ginsburg subsequently apologised – but also made it clear she intended to remain in her position until the 2020  presidential election.