Dems lose it after Hegseth launches mandatory military testosterone screening

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has sparked a furious backlash from Democrats after announcing mandatory annual testosterone screening for US troops aged 30 and over.

Secretary Hegseth said the new policy is aimed at tackling testosterone deficiency, which he argued can affect health, strength and military performance.

Under the plan, the screening will be added to annual health checks, while any testosterone replacement therapy offered after diagnosis would remain voluntary.

“It’s well-established science that as we age, testosterone levels often naturally drop,” he said in a video message to X released on Wednesday, local time.

“Under the supervision of our world-class medical professionals, war fighters aged 30 and older are going to be tested annually as part of their periodic health assessments, a health assessment that happens every year.”

“If treatment is recommended, it’s entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy. This initiative, it’s not about artificial enhancement.

“It’s about restoring and optimising your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”

The move comes as the Department of Health and Human Services pushes to ease some restrictions on testosterone replacement therapy, including for men with age-related low testosterone.

Democrats were quick to pounce, accusing Hegseth of hypocrisy, as he had banned hormone therapy treatments often used by transgender service members.

Congresswoman Summer Lee and Senator Tammy Duckworth both mocked the move on X as a form of “gender-affirming care”.

The testosterone screening policy is the latest in a series of hard-charging moves by Hegseth to reshape the military to a more hard-nosed “warrior ethos.”

That larger effort has included a crackdown on beard exemptions and on uniform enforcement.