Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she regrets her "ill-advised" public criticism of Donald Trump .

Just days after Ginsburg delivered a blistering rebuke of Trump in a New York Times interview, and doubled down on that criticism to CNN, she has backed off her initial comments following widespread criticism.

"I can't imagine what this place would be — I can't imagine what the country would be — with Donald Trump as our president," Ginsburg told the Times. "For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be — I don't even want to contemplate that."

Supreme Court justices are typically reserved when it comes to their views about political matters, and Ginsburg's comments marked a rare breach of the code of political restraint.

The 83-year-old justice, who has establish a cult-like following as a warrior for progressive causes, had also told The Associated Press last week she did not want to think about the prospect of Trump winning the presidency.

The editorial boards of the Times and The Washington Post expressed their disapproval of Ginsburg's words.

The Post called them "inappropriate," writing that "however in keeping with her known political bent, they were still much, much better left unsaid by a member of the Supreme Court."

Following comments from the Republican presumptive nominee in which he called out Ginsburg's comments, the typically liberal Times editorial board led with the headline, "Donald Trump Is Right About Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg."

In a tweet, Trump also called on Ginsburg to resign, saying she had "embarrassed all by making very dumb political statements about me."

Ginsburg said in a statement issued by the court on Thursday that judges should avoid commenting on a candidate for public office. She promised to be more circumspect.

—The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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