Trump officials warn decades-long decline among American men could carry national security consequences
The Trump administration is targeting testosterone deficiency as a potential threat to military readiness, rolling out new screening guidelines for male service members amid growing concerns about the health of...
By Fox News · Fox News
The Trump administration is targeting testosterone deficiency as a potential threat to military readiness, rolling out new screening guidelines for male service members amid growing concerns about the health of American men and the shrinking pool of young people qualified to serve. "There is absolutely a national defense readiness ramifications for [low testosterone]," Adm. Brian Christine, a senior Department of Health and Human Services official, told Fox News Digital in an interview. Christine also pointed to broader health challenges facing the military's recruiting pool, warning that 77% of Americans ages 17 to 24 do not qualify for service without a waiver, with obesity, chronic disease and other barriers contributing to the problem. Among young men, he said, more than 70% are ineligible, while only about 3% of young Americans express interest in serving. The warning comes as the Trump administration places a renewed emphasis on military readiness, with Christine helping shape an initiative that led the Pentagon to issue testosterone deficiency screening guidelines for male service members ages 30 and older in September. THE REAL REASON BEHIND HEGSETH'S VIRAL MILITARY TESTOSTERONE SCREENING ORDER Trump entered his second term with an aggressive approach to rebuilding the American military, tightening fitness requirements , axing DEI policies , overhauling weapons acquisition, building up recruitment and refocusing the force on combat readiness and lethality. Christine, a urologist who spent more than 35 years specializing in men's health , said testosterone levels have been declining for decades, raising concerns about the long-term health of American men and the physical demands placed on those serving in uniform. "I think it's incredibly important, incredibly timely," Christine said of the screening guidance. Under the Pentagon's guidelines, male service members ages 30 and older undergo mandatory screening for testosterone deficiency, beginning with an ass…