Hegseth Mandates Annual Testosterone Screenings for US Military

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a policy mandating annual testosterone deficiency screenings for all active-duty service members aged 30 and older. The program, integrated into periodic health assessments, aims to ensure troops operate at their "absolute best" and maintain a "warrior ethos" focused on lethality. Service members under 30 may volunteer for testing, and any subsequent hormone replacement therapy remains voluntary.

Hegseth, who also reverted the agency's name to the Department of War, framed the initiative as a way to create a "High-T Department of War" and restore natural capabilities rather than provide artificial enhancement. This move aligns with broader Trump administration efforts, including actions by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the FDA to ease prescription limits on testosterone therapies.

Democratic lawmakers and medical professionals have criticized the mandate. Senator Tammy Duckworth and Representative Summer Lee highlighted a contradiction between this program and the administration's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender service members. Other critics argued the policy is influenced by the "manosphere" and lacks an evidence-based foundation, noting that screening asymptomatic individuals can be harmful. Senator Duckworth called for the screenings to be extended to female service members to address infertility and perimenopause.

Separately, a satirical report from The Babylon Bee claimed Hegseth ordered personnel with low testosterone to be transferred to the Navy and issued sailor outfits, a narrative that was not part of the official government policy.