Topline
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday the Department of Defense would begin screening soldiers for “testosterone deficiency,” another controversial policy in line with Hegseth’s hyper-masculine vision for the U.S. military.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during the press conference at the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, 2026. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
Key Facts
Hegseth said in a video announcement he is “authorizing a new screening program for testosterone deficiency for our service members ensuring you have the right testosterone to operate at your absolute best.”
Soldiers ages 30 and over will receive the screening as part of their annual health assessment, and “if treatment is recommended, it’s entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy,” Hegseth said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.