USA16 July, 20263 min read
Pete Hegseth Orders Mandatory Testosterone Screening for U.S. Troops Aged 30 and Older
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Service members aged 30+ will be tested for testosterone deficiency during annual health screenings. Low testosterone findings may lead to testosterone replacement therapy for affected troops.
Testosterone Screening Plan
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the U.S. military will begin testing service members’ testosterone levels, saying in a video posted on X captioned “The High-T Department of War” that “war fighters age 30 and older are going to be tested annually as part of their periodic health assessment.” NBC News reported that service members younger than 30 can voluntarily get their testosterone levels tested, and that if medical teams recommend treatment, it would be that individual’s decision whether to receive testosterone replacement therapy. The BBC said Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell stated, “All Active Duty and Reserve Component personnel aged 30 and older will undergo mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency during their Periodic Health Assessment.”
“All Active Duty and Reserve Component personnel aged 30 and older will undergo mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency during their Periodic Health Assessment.”
The BBC added that troops with low testosterone levels will be offered voluntary hormone replacement therapy, and that taking testosterone for non-medical reasons is strictly prohibited in the military. The policy drew political pushback, with Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois calling on Hegseth to make hormone testing available for both men and women, while Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan dismissed it on X as Hegseth’s “latest culture-war obsession.”
Claims, Questions, and Doctors
The BBC reported that Dr Mohit Khera, who led a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expert panel last year on screening and testosterone utilisation in the military, told the BBC that all men over 30 should get screened because it is the top marker of a person's overall current and future health. Khera cautioned that clinicians “have to be careful not to just give someone testosterone unless they do have some kind of symptoms,” and he said testosterone therapy is not meant for everyone. The BBC also quoted Khera warning that “If young men do take testosterone, it can make them infertile,” adding that reproductive-year patients need to understand the fertility implications.
In parallel, the Washington Post framed the policy as doctors questioning Hegseth’s claims, while the PBS and AP reporting said the Pentagon did not respond to questions about what research or academic studies underpinned the move. NBC News reported the Defense Department declined to say whether there would be estrogen screenings for female service members and if there would be repercussions for service members who declined recommended testosterone treatment, instead referring NBC News to Hegseth’s video.
Broader Trump Push
The BBC said Hegseth’s announcement comes after US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and other administration officials sought to remove barriers for medical professionals to prescribe men testosterone, and it noted that the FDA last month requested removal of safety and effectiveness language on testosterone replacement therapy product labelling.
NBC News reported that the new policy is part of a larger push by the Trump administration to promote and expand public access to testosterone replacement therapies, and it said the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., proposed earlier this month to loosen restrictions on the therapy.
The Washington Post and PBS reporting both described the Defense Department’s plan as routine screening for those 30 and older, with PBS saying troops under 30 can volunteer to be tested.
Separately, ABC News reported that Hegseth also backed low-altitude military flyovers, writing on his personal X account, “The flyovers will continue until morale improves,” as the maneuvers drew scrutiny.
ABC News quoted aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti saying, “It’s shocking to me as an aviation safety professional that the top leaders of the military would excuse this type of reckless behavior,” linking the broader pattern of leadership messaging to safety investigations.