Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said service members over age 30 will be tested annually for testosterone and offered testosterone replacement therapy.

"While we invest heavily in our weapon systems, platforms and gear, our most decisive tactical advantage will always be the individual warfighter," Hegseth said in a video posted to X.

"We have a sacred duty to maintain that advantage, which is why we must constantly look for new ways to optimize your performance, your resilience and your long-term health."

Hegseth authorized the new program to ensure troops "have the right testosterone levels to operate at [their] absolute best because it's well-established science that as we age, testosterone levels often naturally drop," he said.

"This initiative — it's not about artificial enhancement; it's about restoring and optimizing your natural capabilities, protecting your longevity, ensuring you have the biological foundation required to sustain and fight," he said.

"We owe our warriors the absolute best medical care in the world. And this program delivers on that obligation."

Added to the video, Hegseth wrote: "The High-T Department of War."

The move comes as other Trump administration officials have begun to advocate easier access for men to testosterone replacement therapies. Still, the messaging from Hegseth and others blends known science on the hormone with broader and less substantiated claims.

Over the past several years, special operations troops — and specifically Navy SEALs — have come under scrutiny for their use of testosterone and similar substances to enhance performance.

The death of a SEAL recruit during training in 2022 led to a discovery of substances in his possession, including testosterone, and revealed far more rampant drug use among the elite program than had been previously acknowledged.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.