Going the Speaker route would get him those protections faster. Here's the timeline: elected Speaker in January 2023, impeachment trials and ouster of Biden and Harris fast tracked before end of year, Trump is president by end of 2023.

If he goes the presidential election route, if he wins in 2024, he wouldn't be sworn in until January 2025, so no protections until 2025.

By going the Speaker route, he gets to president and protections by end of 2023 versus January 2025 if he wins the 2024 election.