“I’m authorizing a new screening program for testosterone deficiency for our service members, ensuring you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best, because it’s well-established science that as we age, testosterone levels often naturally drop,” Hegseth said in a video on X posted with the phrase “The High-T Department of War.”
Hegseth said the testing will be added to service members’ annual medical examinations. If doctors recommend testosterone replacement therapy, individuals will not have the treatment forced upon them.
“This initiative, it’s not about artificial enhancement,” Hegseth said. “It’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities.”
Some commenters suggested Hegseth was projecting his insecurities about his own masculinity. Others expressed their bewilderment that Hegseth would enact the testosterone tests after eliminating mandatory flu vaccines for service members:
