Facing ridicule, Hegseth rescinds Pentagon’s new testosterone mandates

Credit: Creative Commons
Credit: Creative Commons

The Pentagon abruptly yanked its new testosterone-screening rules just a day after posting them, as ABC News’ Luis Martinez reports. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered mandatory “low-T” testing folded into annual checkups for male service members 30 and older, and on September 2 the Defense Health Agency published detailed clinical guidance to make it official. By the next day, the document had vanished from the Pentagon’s site.

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Walked back, not walked away

A Pentagon official said the guidance “has been temporarily rescinded to allow for updates,” insisting the interim policy stays in force and a finalized version “will be issued shortly.” Tim Parlatore, Hegseth’s senior advisor, downplayed the misstep: “What was posted earlier this week was something that was a draft. It was not approved for release,” adding it needed revisions reflecting “current science and medical guidance, as opposed to certain antiquated protocols.”

The retreat follows months of skepticism from outside doctors, who question whether the screening is even necessary and warn that “low-T” hype has inflated how common testosterone deficiency really is.

Pete Hegseth testosterone therapy announcement
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