United States federal government credit-rating downgrade of 2011

Several credit rating agencies around the world have downgraded their credit ratings of the U.S. federal government, including Standard & Poor's (S&P) which reduced the country's rating from AAA (outstanding) to AA+ (excellent) on August 5, 2011.

The 2011 S&P downgrade was the first time the government was given a rating below AAA. S&P had announced a negative outlook on the AAA rating in April 2011. The downgrade to AA+ occurred four days after the 112th United States Congress voted to raise the debt ceiling of the federal government by means of the Budget Control Act of 2011 on August 2, 2011. Later, the US Government commenced an investigation into S&P's role in the rating of several mortgage backed securities which played a role in the 2008 financial crisis. In order to mend its relationship with the US government, S&P asked its then CEO to step down, a mere 18 days after the US was downgraded. S&P announced on August 23, 2011 that Deven Sharma would step down as a Chief of Standard & Poor's effective September 12, 2011, and would leave the company by end of the year.

The downgrade was criticized by the U.S. Treasury Department, both Democratic and Republican Party political figures, and many business people and economists.

Both Fitch Ratings and Moody's, designated like S&P as nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSRO) by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, retained the U.S.'s triple-A rating. Moody's, however, changed its outlook to negative on June 2, 2011 and Fitch changed its outlook to negative on November 28, 2011.

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