Ruth Bader Ginsburg was nominated to the Supreme Court by Bill Clinton in 1993. Photo: Reuters

Ginsburg, a liberal icon, was nominated to the court by Bill Clinton in 1993. The second woman to serve on the Supreme Court, she was famed for her groundbreaking work to advance equal rights for women.

Ginsburg died on Friday evening due to complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer. She was at home in Washington, surrounded by her family, the court said. In recent years her health has deteriorated, and she suffered repeated bouts of illness.

“Our nation has lost a jurist of historic stature,” said Chief Justice John Roberts. “We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague.”

Donald Trump said Ginsberg was renowned for her brilliant mind and her powerful dissents at the Supreme Court. “Justice Ginsburg demonstrated that one can disagree without being disagreeable toward one’s colleagues or different points of view,” the US president said.

“Her opinions, including well-known decisions regarding the legal equality of women and the disabled, have inspired all Americans, and generations of great legal minds.”

Ginsburg’s death sets up an intense political battle over her replacement on the US high court. Donald Trump has previously vowed to fill any vacancy that opened up this year.

Until her death, the court had a 5-4 conservative majority, including two Trump appointees, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. A third Trump appointee would solidify conservative control of the court, regardless of the outcome the presidential election.

Republicans currently control the Senate by a 53-47 margin. Any appointee would need a simple majority to be confirmed, with Mike Pence, the US vice-president, able to cast the deciding vote in case of a tie.