Fitch, one of three major independent agencies that assess creditworthiness, lowered the U.S. credit rating from the top-notch AAA to AA+.
In a separate statement, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she "strongly" disagreed with the downgrade, calling it "arbitrary and based on outdated data."
The downgrade came as the first by a major ratings company in more than a decade and amid another round of political brinkmanship over government borrowing.
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