TJ Madsen is among the founding members of the New Herald Tribune and chairs the editorial board. He worked for national syndicated newspapers in Newark, Philadelphia, and Baltimore before moving to the midwest.
July 16 , 2026
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new Department of Defense policy on Wednesday that would require active-duty service members to receive regular testosterone injections as part of routine military medical care, a step the Pentagon described as a nondiscriminatory readiness measure applying to all personnel regardless of gender. The proposal, which officials said was designed to support performance and resilience, would mark a significant expansion of the military’s role in hormone-related treatment.
Under the proposed plan, the Defense Department would treat testosterone administration as a standard part of active-duty service, with the stated goal of supporting force readiness across the ranks. The policy would apply equally to men and women and would be framed as a neutral medical requirement rather than a gender-based measure.
The announcement prompted immediate discussion in Washington and among military health specialists, with critics asking whether the policy could be justified medically or operationally.
Supporters of the idea cast it as part of a broader push to maximize performance and standardize care across the force. Even so, the policy will almost certainly face legal, ethical, and medical scrutiny before it can be formally adopted.
Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved.