'Military needs better leadership not testosterone' Mark Kelly slams Pete Hegseth over new policy

Senate Democrats are raising concerns over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's directive requiring the military to measure the personnel's testosterone levels.  While lawmakers sought details on how the policy will be carried out, Sen. Mark Kelly slammed the move altogether, claiming the military does not need more testosterone but it needs "better leadership", taking a shot at Hegseth.

The defence secretary recently announced plans to measure testosterone levels in US soldiers routinely as a part of their annual health checkup, with a promise of “ensuring you have the right testosterone levels to operate at your absolute best”. In a video posted on X, captioned "High-T Department", Hegseth said he was authorising the screening programme, giving the option to troops with low testosterone levels to undergo voluntary hormone replacement therapy. 

The announcement sparked debate about testosterone, masculinity and performance, and how the policy will affect troops, including women in the army. "The U.S. military does not need more testosterone. It needs better leadership, and that starts with the secretary of defense. It also starts with the commander in chief," Kelly said in an interview on MS Now, slamming the move. "Ultimately, he is responsible. He's the one who hired Pete Hegseth, who is, by far, the most unqualified individual we've ever had in this position," the retired U.S. Navy Captain said. 

He further accused Hegseth of making awful decisions that put the lives of service members at risk "in ways that I would not have expected when I served." He added that during his service under former President George H.W. Bush, the U.S. invaded Iraq because Iraq invaded Kuwait and the military had a straightforward goal of pushing Iraq out and supporting the country's ally, claiming that this wasn't the case in the Iran war. 

Kelly isn't the only one to criticize Hegseth's move, as in a letter to the Defense Secretary, Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Gary Peters of Michigan, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, and Ruben Gallego of Arizona claimed that the Pentagon has provided little explanation for the new requirement, and raised questions about its scientific basis, cost and potential consequences. "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 senators wrote, ABC News reported.

As of yet, the policy hasn't been formally implemented, and the specifics are to be worked out. Thus, it remains unclear when service members will begin undergoing testosterone screenings as part of their annual health assessments, but Hegseth has claimed that a directed plan will be ironed out by August 15. Furthermore, the cost of implementing the program remains a top concern, as the Defense Department could be forced to hire additional medical personnel to conduct screenings during routine annual exams.