Trump's lawyers argue that he was acting within his mandate as president at the time and only wanted to ensure the integrity of the election. That is why they believe he cannot be prosecuted for voter fraud.
Special prosecutor Jack Smith wants to prove that Trump is actually guilty of conspiracy to rig the election.
It was Smith who asked the Supreme Court to quickly rule on possible immunity for Trump so that the issue could be resolved and a real trial could take place.
The election fraud case should be started on March 4 next year. A lower court will now consider the immunity issue first, after which a decision is likely to be delayed as an appeal is still possible.
A federal appeals court in Washington will hear arguments on Trump's immunity on January 9.
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