Opening statements had not yet begun on Monday when former President Donald Trump dozed off for the first time.

He quickly opened his eyes when defense attorney Todd Blanche slid him a note, as prosecutors prepared to kick off opening arguments in the historic trial, which hinges on accusations that the former president falsified business records over a $130,000 hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in an effort to keep her quiet as the 2016 presidential election loomed.

The trial marks the first-ever criminal proceedings against a former commander-in-chief, who faces four years behind bars, if convicted.

“You must decide this case on the evidence,” Judge Juan Merchan instructed the jury.

Trump’s eyes appeared to close again as Merchan continued laying out the ground rules to the five women and seven men from various parts of Manhattan who were seated as jurors last week, along with six alternates who were also present in the jury box.

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo then kicked off opening arguments, laying out the prosecution’s case against Trump, accusing him of orchestrating a “criminal scheme” that would influence the 2016 election.

“This case is about a criminal conspiracy and a cover-up ,” Colangelo said, arguing that he lied “over and over again.”

He said Trump, Cohen, and National Enquirer boss David Pecker “formed a conspiracy” to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels, who claimed she had a one-night stand with the married Trump, and ensure voters never found out about their alleged affair, as well as another alleged affair with a Playboy model, as well as an embarrassing story about a Trump Tower doorman who had a love child with his maid.

“All in all, the defendant disguised his reimbursements to Michael Cohen” by way of falsified checks and ledger entries that amounted to “a criminal scheme,” Colangelo argued.

“Then he covered up that criminal conspiracy by lying in his New York business records over and over and over again,” Colangelo said as Trump, no longer dozing off, stared straight ahead.

Trump also launched a conspiracy with American Media Inc. boss David Pecker, who took direction from Trump to bury negative stories about him while slamming his opponents, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who was also vying for the presidential nomination at the time, according to the prosecutor.

This, Colangelo told the jury, “is called catch-and-kill.”

“Trump and Pecker and Cohen carried out three different catch-and-kill deals to help him get elected,” said Colangelo.

The scheme involved “the candidate’s fixer actively colluding with a media enterprise… to keep [negative information] from coming out before the election.”