Hegseth Announces ‘Testosterone Deficiency’ Screening For Soldiers 30 And Over

Topline

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday the Department of Defense would begin screening soldiers for “testosterone deficiency,” another controversial policy in line with Hegseth’s hyper-masculine vision for the U.S. military.

Hegseth said in a video announcement he is “authorizing a new screening program for testosterone deficiency for our service members ensuring you have the right testosterone to operate at your absolute best.”

Soldiers ages 30 and over will receive the screening as part of their annual health assessment, and “if treatment is recommended, it’s entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy,” Hegseth said.

The program presumably only applies to male soldiers, and not the 17% of active duty troops who are women, but Hegseth did not specify.

Service members younger than 30 will have the option to receive the screening.

Hegseth, addressing soldiers, said the initiative is “not about artificial enhancement,” but “about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight” and “keeping you on the leading edge of lethality.”

Hegseth captioned the video posted to X, “The High-T Department of War.”