The Conversation (0)
Politics
Getty Images
The US defence secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that members of the US military over 30 will be tested for their testosterone levels – and people have a lot of thoughts.
In a video posted on X/Twitter and captioned “The High-T Department of War”, Hegseth explained that he was authorising, as part of an annual health screening, for “warfighters” to undergo testing for testosterone deficiency.
“Today, I’m authorising a new screening programme for testosterone deficiency for our service members, ensuring you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best,” Hegseth announced in a two-and-a-half minute long video.
The screening will be mandatory for those over 30 years old, while those under 30 can also voluntarily opt in.
Hegseth claimed, “If treatment is recommended, it’s entirely your choice to receive testosterone replacement therapy. This initiative, it’s not about artificial enhancement, it’s about restoring and optimising your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity and ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain the fight.”
People had plenty of thoughts, particularly as the Trump administration is accused of demonising transgender people and attempting to block gender-affirming care.
“Offering testosterone treatments to servicemembers = gender affirming care,” someone argued.
Another suggested: “The ‘everyone is 12’ thing is overplayed but ‘We should give soldiers steroids so they get more stronger and gooder at fighting bad guys’ is such a uniquely childish f**king stupid idea that it could have only come from this administration.”
One account wrote: “We got gender-affirming care for the troops before affordable groceries.”
Congresswoman Summer Lee pointed out: “So now y’all support gender-affirming care?”
Someone else mocked: “Divorced dad-occupied government.”
Another wrote: “This is the absolute dumbest thing imaginable for the Secretary of Defense to be focused on. We are literally at war and this idiot is in his office doing two camera make up videos on testosterone. What a complete clown show. I’m so sorry for our poor service members who have to deal with this ridiculous man.”
“Gender affirming care for me but not for thee,” wrote someone else.
Why not read…
- Trump gold dollar coin sparks ridicule: ‘Even North Korea would be too embarrassed to do this’
- 10-foot-tall participation trophy trolls Trump's 'enthusiastic involvement' in Iran war
- Trump is explaining words and suggesting Democrats invented 'affordability' again
Sign up to our free indy100 weekly newsletter
Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.