Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon is rolling out a new program to test military service members’ testosterone levels yearly. He says the testing will start when male service members turn 30, but younger members can voluntarily undergo testing, as well.
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“At the Department of War, we have the most elite warriors on the face of the earth,” Hegseth said in a video posted to X on Wednesday. “Every single day you are pushed to your absolute physical and mental limits. To master the profession of arms. We demand your all and you give it. But while we invest heavily in our weapons systems, platforms and gear, our most decisive tactical advantage will always be the individual war fighter.”
Hegseth says that if testosterone treatment is recommended, undergoing testosterone replacement therapy would be entirely voluntary.
Hegseth said, “This initiative, it’s not about artificial enhancement. It’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”
The defense department has not answered questions from several news outlets about whether there would be any consequences for troops who decline treatment or whether women service members will also receive hormone screenings.
A broader push
The new program fits into a broader effort by the Trump administration to expand access to testosterone replacement therapy.
Trump administration health officials have expressed support for widening the availability of testosterone therapy for men. Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services proposed loosening restrictions on testosterone replacement therapy.
Testosterone replacement therapies have carried warning labels and have only been available to men who have both low testosterone and an associated medical condition since 2015, according to NBC News.
Trump administration officials have also highlighted potential benefits of hormone replacement therapy for women, as well. And last year, the FDA had black box warnings taken off of the therapies for menopause.
“Women may be under-utilizing approved therapies that can alleviate menopause symptoms and improve women’s health because of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ‘black box’ warnings about the risks associated with these drugs that the agency is removing,” HHS said in a statement.
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