Pete Hegseth says US military to start testosterone screening for over 30s

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has introduced an annual testosterone screening programme for service members aged 30 and above, to be incorporated into the mandatory periodic health assessment that troops complete yearly. The screening will be mandatory for those 30 and older, with younger service members able to opt in. Any resulting treatment, including testosterone replacement therapy, would remain voluntary for individuals.

Hegseth characterised the initiative as part of the Defence Department's effort to maintain the military's decisive advantage through the individual warfighter. In a video announcement, he stated the programme was "not about artificial enhancement" but rather about "restoring and optimising your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight." According to the Mayo Clinic, testosterone levels in men naturally decline by approximately 1 percent annually after age 30 or 40.

The screening announcement represents the latest in a series of moves by Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News co-host, to reshape military standards around physical fitness and what he describes as warrior ethos. In a September speech to senior officers at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, Hegseth declared there would be "no more beardos" and no more "fat troops," unveiling directives on fitness and appearance standards.

The testosterone screening initiative drew criticism from Democratic lawmakers, who connected it to Hegseth's opposition to transgender military service. Senator Tammy Duckworth characterised the announcement as sounding "like gender-affirming care," while Representative Chrissy Houlahan stated it "proves that Secretary Hegseth takes direction from the far corners of the manosphere." Both lawmakers called for hormone screening to be extended to women in uniform, citing elevated infertility rates among military personnel. The Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act had previously required the defence secretary to brief Congress on available military treatments for low testosterone and existing testing protocols.