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.

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.

The program presumably only applies to male soldiers, and not the 17% of active duty troops who are women, but Hegseth did not specify.

Service members younger than 30 will have the option to receive the screening.

Hegseth, addressing soldiers, said the initiative is “not about artificial enhancement,” but “about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight” and “keeping you on the leading edge of lethality.”

Hegseth captioned the video posted to X, “The High-T Department of War.”

This is not the first time testosterone levels have come up in the Trump administration. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in January that Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, reviewed Trump’s health records and “said he’s got the highest testosterone level that he’s ever seen for an individual over 70 years old.” The Food and Drug Administration also said earlier this year it is considering expanding testosterone replacement therapy as a treatment for low sex drive in men who have lower levels for no known reason.

Hegseth has a long history of opposing women in key military roles—he said in a November 2024 interview with podcast host Shawn Ryan, the military “should not have women in combat roles” and “men in those positions are more capable.” He has also attacked transgender service members, saying in a May 2025 speech, “we are leaving wokeness and weakness behind . . . no more dudes in dresses, we’re done with that s--t.” He’s made numerous policy changes with an emphasis on masculinity, including requiring all combat service members to meet “the highest male standard only” of physicality in new fitness tests. “If women can make it, excellent. If not, it is what it is,” Hegseth said, adding, “weak men won’t qualify.” He’s also implemented several policies related to soldier’s’ physical appearances, banning beards and declaring the era of “fat troops” is over.

'Fat Generals’ Now Unacceptable, Hegseth Warns Top Military Leaders (Forbes)