Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a screening for service member’s testosterone levels and offering testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) to keep troops on the leading edge of lethality.
The testing directive is paired with Hegseth's broader push for a hypermasculine 'warrior ethos' in the Department of Defense, including a requirement that all ground-combat roles return to gender-neutral physical fitness tests based on the highest male standard.
The screening would be mandatory as a part of soldiers periodic health assessment and would affect troops 30 and older, Hegseth said in a video message posted on X.
“While we invest heavily in our weapon systems, platforms and gear, our most decisive tactical advantage will always be the individual warfighter,” Hegseth said. “We have a sacred duty to maintain that advantage, which is why we must constantly look for new ways to optimize your performance, your resilience and your long-term health.”
Hegseth authorized the new sceening to ensure troops “have the right testosterone levels to operate at their absolute best because it is well-established science that as we age, testosterone levels often naturally drop. Service members with lower levels have the choice to receive TRT.
According to Hegseth, “This initiative it’s not about artificial enhancement; it’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain and fight.”
In April, the Food and Drug Administration moved to expand access to TRT after years of recommending it only be prescribed to men with medical issues affecting testosterone production. According to the Cleveland Clinic, TRT can cause side effects ranging from mild to serious. Common issues include acne, fluid retention, breast swelling and worsened sleep apnea. More severe, dose-dependent risks can involve increased red blood cell counts (elevating clot risks), infertility, and prostate stimulation.
Hegseth's new testosterone screening policy primarily targets male service members and has no established protocol for female-specific hormonal care. While the testing program applies to all male troops 30 and older, the Pentagon has not offered provisions to evaluate women for hormone imbalances, such as perimenopause, sparking criticism from lawmakers.
Meanwhile, as Hegseth seeks to develop a ‘universal soldier’ model, he stripped nine navy officers including women and Black service members from a promotion list last month, resulting in an all-male, overwhelmingly white slate of 22 advancing as nominees to become onestar admirals, violating promotion rules designed to be merit-bases and apolitical.
His intervention resulted in the sidelining, firing or blocking of promotions for multiple high-ranking female generals and admirals and officers of color. The push has heavily impacted leadership diversity across the armed forces.