A federal appeals court in New York wrangled Wednesday with President Donald Trump’s claim that his hush money conviction should be reviewed by federal courts and seemed open to the idea that the Supreme Court’s landmark immunity decision may weigh in the president’s favor.

The Republican is asking the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to intervene after a lower-court judge twice rejected the move. As part of the request, Trump wants the federal appeals court to seize control of the criminal case and then ultimately decide his appeal of the verdict, which is now pending in a state appellate court.