Pentagon chief's testosterone testing plan reviewed amid impeachment proceedings

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is under an impeachment vote in Congress as the Department of Defense revisits a plan that would allow service members to opt in to testosterone replacement therapy. The initiative, announced in July through a department statement and a video from Hegseth, says participation would be voluntary and would not be mandatory for any gender.

Medical experts cautioned that the program could reinforce misconceptions about testosterone. Dr. Arthur Burnett, a urology and oncology professor at Johns Hopkins, said treatment should target clinically confirmed deficiency rather than performance enhancement or redefining masculinity. He noted that testosterone therapy can restore normal libido and energy in deficient patients but should not be used to create excessive sexual interest or aggressive behavior.

Endocrinologist Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen warned that administering external testosterone to individuals with normal hormone levels can suppress natural production, potentially leading to infertility and dependence on the drug.

Hegseth described the effort as aimed at "restoring and optimizing your natural abilities, protecting your longevity and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight," emphasizing that it is not intended as artificial enhancement.

Researchers highlighted that testosterone naturally declines with age and that low laboratory values alone do not justify treatment. Comprehensive diagnosis should include symptom evaluation and consideration of other factors such as thyroid disease, sleep apnea, obesity, medication effects or depression.

Psychology professor Ronald Levant argued that the program may reflect broader cultural ideas about masculinity rather than a medical necessity, noting that social norms around masculinity are fluid and that emotional self-awareness, rather than hormone levels, often influences young men's well-being.