Why is the US’ credit rating so exceptional despite the amount of debt it takes on?

Question

I’m a United States citizen. Moody gives the US a AA+ credit rating (it was downgraded from AAA in 2011).

How can this be, despite the substantial amount of debt the US holds that only continues to grow?

Is it GDP, defense capabilities, the dollar being the de facto currency almost worldwide? A combination of these? Or is there another huge factor(s) I am missing?

In: 54

Answer 1

The US is a developed, gigantic, diversified economy that has always paid its debts. The world has a lot of trusts in the US economy, because even if it goes into recession or occasional crisis periods, it always bounces back. Not many countries (if any) can say this.