U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes has raised questions about the similarities and differences between Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new initiative to test and treat troops for low testosterone and the hormone treatment provided to transgender men in the military.
Reyes made the inquiry Wednesday in an ongoing lawsuit challenging a ban on transgender troops. She noted that the ban, enacted under President Donald Trump, states that the military must maintain high mental and physical health standards without the benefit of routine medical treatment or special provisions.
The judge ordered both parties in the lawsuit to address the administration's basis for treating transgender men and other service members differently under the new testosterone policy and the existing ban. She also requested information on the similarities and differences in administering testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), both medically and logistically, for transgender men compared to other service members.
Hegseth announced the new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” the previous week, deeming it essential for troops to perform at their peak. Under the initiative, troops aged 30 and older will undergo annual screenings as part of required medical evaluations. Service members younger than 30 will have the option to volunteer for testing. Hegseth stated in a social media video that receiving testosterone replacement therapy would be voluntary.
While some Trump administration officials have publicly supported increased access to testosterone replacement therapies for men, Hegseth's messaging has combined established scientific understanding of the hormone with less substantiated claims. Testosterone levels naturally decline with age in men, and this decline has been historically linked to issues such as erectile dysfunction, low libido, mood changes, and weight gain. However, experts have long debated the diagnostic criteria for these issues and the efficacy of hormone replacement therapy as a treatment.
Judge Reyes, nominated by President Joe Biden, is overseeing one of several lawsuits filed against the ban on transgender troops. Transgender active-duty service members and former service members seeking to reenlist initiated this lawsuit in late January 2025, shortly after Trump began his second term. Last year, Reyes ruled against Trump's executive order barring transgender troops, a decision that was later partially upheld by a divided panel of federal appeals court judges, who found the ban unlawful and protected service members from dismissal.
The case has since been granted class-action status by Reyes, meaning the outcome could potentially affect all service members. However, Trump's ban on transgender military service remains in effect, as the U.S. Supreme Court has permitted the Pentagon to enforce it while litigation continues.