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Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat and Army National Guard veteran, sharply criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s newly announced program offering voluntary testosterone replacement therapy for military personnel. Duckworth urged Hegseth to redirect his attention to what she described as the “failing” conflict in Iran rather than focusing on hormone treatments.
Hegseth unveiled the initiative on Wednesday, explaining that annual testosterone deficiency screenings will be integrated into routine medical exams for service members aged 30 and older, with younger troops eligible to volunteer for testing. He emphasized that participation in testosterone replacement therapy would be entirely voluntary.
The announcement quickly drew bipartisan reactions, with some Democratic lawmakers likening the program to “gender-affirming care” – a suite of medical treatments typically associated with transgender healthcare, which Hegseth and the broader Trump administration have historically opposed. Senator Duckworth acknowledged this comparison and expressed support for broader healthcare access within the military, suggesting that hormone screenings should extend beyond testosterone to address issues like infertility, which studies indicate disproportionately affect military men and women.
“If hormone levels are found to be low, we should allow our service members the option to pursue treatments such as IVF to support family growth,” Duckworth stated. She warned that without expanded healthcare services, the military risks losing trained personnel who leave due to unmet medical needs.
Beyond healthcare policy, Duckworth labeled Hegseth’s efforts as “performative” and called him “the least qualified Secretary of Defense in our nation’s history.” She criticized his lack of a clear strategy in the ongoing Iran conflict and urged him to prioritize military readiness over hormone therapy programs.
The Pentagon described the testosterone screenings as a measure to maintain troops’ strength, resilience, and mental readiness in demanding combat environments. However, testosterone use in the military has faced scrutiny before, especially within elite units like the Navy SEALs.
A 2022 training death exposed widespread use of testosterone and similar substances, prompting the Navy to initiate drug testing targeting performance-enhancing hormonal agents. Hegseth clarified that the new program is not intended to encourage artificial enhancement.
The timing of this policy coincides with broader federal moves to ease restrictions on testosterone prescriptions. Health Secretary Robert F.
Kennedy Jr. and other officials have advocated for easier access, while the FDA recently proposed relaxing limits on testosterone therapies. Traditionally, these treatments are reserved for men with hypogonadism-a condition causing severely low testosterone-but some political figures promote testosterone for anti-aging and performance benefits, despite mixed medical consensus.
Recent research has shown testosterone therapy can improve sexual function and certain physical attributes in some men, though effects on fatigue, cognition, and general well-being remain limited. Medical guidelines generally recommend testosterone testing only for men exhibiting specific symptoms, confirmed by multiple blood tests conducted under standardized conditions, as hormone levels fluctuate throughout the day.
As the military embarks on this new healthcare initiative, the debate continues over its potential benefits and the best ways to support the health and readiness of service members.