Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that all U.S. military personnel aged 30 and older will be required to undergo mandatory testosterone screening on an annual basis. Hegseth described the initiative as a way to fight testosterone deficiency, which he said can negatively impact the health and effectiveness of troops.
According to Hegseth, the screenings could open the door for eligible service members to receive testosterone replacement therapy. In a video statement, he said the goal is “ensuring you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best.”
“Because it’s well-established science that as we age, testosterone levels often naturally drop,” Hegseth said in the video message.
Under the new policy, the testosterone check will be folded into routine annual testing for service members 30 and older. Any troops found to have low testosterone levels would be given the option — but not the requirement — to pursue hormone replacement treatment. Personnel under the age of 30 would be allowed to request testing on a voluntary basis.
The announcement comes as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been working to loosen certain restrictions around testosterone replacement therapies. Last month, that agency said it would pursue the removal of limitations on the treatment’s use in men experiencing age-related declines in testosterone.
Despite the health-focused framing, Hegseth’s decision quickly drew fire from Democratic lawmakers, who noted the apparent contradiction with his earlier ban on transgender service members — many of whom relied on hormone therapy as part of their medical care.
“So now y’all support gender-affirming care?” asked Democratic Congresswoman Summer Lee.
Senator Tammy Duckworth echoed that sentiment, saying, “Sounds like gender-affirming care to me.”
