Judge questions Pentagon's testosterone policy vs. transgender troop ban

A federal judge is scrutinizing the Pentagon’s new testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) initiative for troops, questioning whether it undermines the military’s ban on transgender service members. U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes, overseeing the lawsuit Talbott v. Trump, ordered the government to explain why hormone treatment is permitted for some service members but not for gender dysphoria. The Pentagon’s new "High-T" plan, announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, will screen troops aged 30 and older annually for testosterone deficiency, with voluntary TRT available. Reyes noted that the military’s ban on transgender troops cites the need for "high mental and physical health standards without routine medical treatment or special provisions." She directed both sides to address the similarities and differences in administering TRT for transgender men compared to other service members. The judge also requested details on the Pentagon’s basis for treating transgender men differently under the new policy. The Trump administration has previously argued against providing hormone-related treatments for transgender troops, citing cost, monitoring requirements, and potential non-deployability. Hegseth’s announcement follows broader advocacy within the administration for easier access to testosterone replacement therapies, though experts debate the broader claims about the hormone’s benefits.