Wired: Pete Hegseth proposes testosterone therapy for U.S. troops to boost “high T”

Pete Hegseth is proposing testosterone therapy for U.S. service members to create “high T” troops, Wired reports today. The idea, pitched as a readiness booster, could upend military medical policy and ignite legal and ethical fights over informed consent and performance enhancement. It also lands amid contentious debates on recruiting shortfalls and the politicization of force culture.

Wired labels the plan junk science, citing endocrinologists who say hormone systems are complex and that testosterone misuse carries risks including cardiovascular events, fertility loss, and mood changes. The outlet notes testosterone is a controlled drug, that medical standards reserve it for diagnosed deficiencies under supervision, and that the Pentagon has not announced any policy change, while it says it has not seen clinical evidence supporting the proposal. Watch for an official Defense Department response, medical society statements, and whether Congress seeks briefings or hearings. [Developing. This article will be updated.]