To the Editor:

Bill Bonvie weaves a fantastical conspiracy theory about President Trump (“Method to the Madness: Shutdown Perhaps Had More Than One Aim,” 1/30). He suggests that Trump’s government shutdown was not just to leverage for the border wall, but to also cause a permanent reduction in the government workforce through sustained frustration, thereby trimming down the budget – a calculated double whammy. Can Trump really be such a sly fox?

I’m not delighted with the shutdown, but Trump is not unique in this. There have been 21 shutdowns in U.S.

February 13, 2019