Pete Hegseth’s controversial plan to screen older soldiers for testosterone deficiencies and offer them more of the hormone faced scrutiny this week from a federal judge, who ordered the Trump administration to explain a discrepancy with the treatment of transgender troops.
The US defense secretary announced earlier this month that male service members aged 30 and above would be checked to ensure they have the “right testosterone levels” to perform in the military at an optimal level.
“By addressing these health markers early, we’re keeping you on the leading edge of lethality,” he said in a video posted on X explaining the new policy and using the kind of fighting talk now standard in the Pentagon, which Donald Trump has labeled the Department of War.
According to Hegseth’s announcement to advance what he called “the High-T department of war”, military members found to have lower than normal levels of testosterone, the naturally occurring male hormone that helps build and maintain bone density and muscle mass, can volunteer for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).