Kelly: Military 'doesn't need more testosterone, it needs better leadership'

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) pushed back this week against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new proposal to add testosterone screenings to service members’ periodic health assessments.

“The U.S. military does not need more testosterone; it needs better leadership,” Kelly said on MS NOW’s “The Briefing with Jen Psaki” on Monday.

This new standard would require testosterone screening for all service members age 30 or above. The military will provide optional testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for those flagged for deficiencies in this hormone on their screening tests, according to Hegseth.

“The president should fire Pete Hegseth,” said Kelly, a former U.S. Navy captain. “He’s making awful decisions, is putting service members at risks that I would not have expected when I served that a secretary of defense would make these sort of decisions, nor a president.”

A group of Democratic senators expressed “serious concerns” about this screening change in a Monday letter to the defense secretary, citing “longstanding medical guidance” opposing routine population-wide testosterone screenings. 

The lawmakers included Sens. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Mazie Hirono (H.I.), Gary Peters (Mich.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Ruben Gallego (Ariz.). 

“The Department has provided no evidence that this sweeping new policy will improve force readiness or health, nor has it explained the scientific basis, costs, or risks associated with implementing it across the force,” the lawmakers wrote. 

Medical experts have similarly expressed concerns that the move could lead to overdiagnosis and side effects such as heart problems and infertility. TRT treatment can be effective in addressing issues tied to low testosterone levels, including depression, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. 

However, this treatment has also been proven to sometimes lower sperm count, which could pose fertility challenges to service members. 

Hegseth noted in a video announcing this policy change that TRT treatment is “entirely” up to the service member if their results indicate low testosterone. 

“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,” Hegseth said. “We owe our warriors the absolute best medical care in the world, and this program delivers on that obligation.”

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