Senate Pushback on Defense Department Testosterone-Screening Plan

Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) publicly opposed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s proposal to add routine testosterone screenings to the periodic health assessments of all service members aged 30 and older. Kelly argued the initiative would not improve force readiness and called for stronger leadership at the Pentagon.

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The Department of Defense announced that the new standard would require testosterone testing for every service member in the specified age group, with optional testosterone-replacement therapy (TRT) offered to those identified as deficient. Hegseth framed the program as a means to “restore and optimize” natural capabilities and protect long-term health, emphasizing that treatment decisions would remain voluntary for the individual service member.

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He also urged the president to remove Hegseth from his post, describing the policy as an “awful decision” that places service members at unforeseen risk.

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A group of Democratic senators—including Richard Blumenthal, Mazie Hirono, Gary Peters, Elizabeth Warren, and Ruben Gallego—sent a letter to the defense secretary expressing “serious concerns.” The letter cited longstanding medical guidance that opposes routine, population-wide testosterone screening and noted the absence of evidence on the policy’s impact on readiness, costs, or scientific justification.

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• “The U.S. military does not need more testosterone; it needs better leadership,” — Sen. Mark Kelly

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• “The president should fire Pete Hegseth,” — Sen. Mark Kelly

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• “This initiative, it’s not about artificial enhancement; it’s about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain fighting,” — Pete Hegseth, against defense secretary

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