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BELGIUM PERSPECTIVE
HEGSETH ORDERS ANNUAL TESTOSTERONE SCREENING FOR US TROOPS
DOMINANT ANGLE
Brussels is questioning the boundary between biological optimization and the medicalization of the US military, amid concerns about gray areas regarding female soldiers.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
ANALYSIS
Brussels, July 17, 2026. Belgium's capital is taking note of Pete Hegseth's decision to introduce annual testosterone level screenings for all American military personnel over 30, with the Belgian press, both French and Dutch-speaking, reporting on the development. La Libre Belgique and VRT NWS report the same factual elements: the test will be integrated into the annual medical visit, hormone therapy will be recommended - but never imposed - in case of a deficit, and soldiers under 30 will be able to undergo the test voluntarily.
The two media outlets repeat the justification of the US Secretary of Defense, who frames his measure as "The High-T Department of War". According to Hegseth, the goal is not to "artificially enhance performance", but to "recover and optimize the natural abilities" of soldiers, "preserve their longevity", and ensure "the necessary biological basis to withstand combat". He describes this approach as a "sacred duty", arguing that the individual fighter remains the primary tactical advantage of the United States.
VRT NWS takes the analysis further by highlighting a gray area that has not escaped the Flemish editorial team: it is not clear whether female military personnel will be subject to the same screening. The media outlet recalls that Hegseth has already stated that he does not believe women should occupy combat roles if they do not meet the "highest male standard", a similar reasoning, notes VRT, to that used to exclude some transgender military personnel from the US army.
The Flemish public broadcaster also puts the announcement into a broader context: it comes shortly after US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attempted to relax the medical prescription of testosterone, presented by his administration as a response to the "national fertility crisis". VRT NWS specifies that experts remain divided, with some pointing to the potential side effects of hormone therapy, including cardiac risks, which advise against its administration at any age. So far, no official reaction from the Belgian Defense has been reported on a possible similar measure within the Belgian army, whose annual medical visits do not include systematic hormonal screening.
KEY POINTS
- Starting at 30, Belgian soldiers will undergo an annual testosterone test as part of their medical checkup; treatment will be recommended but not mandatory in case of deficiency, and those under 30 can do so voluntarily.
- Belgium's government justifies the measure as a "sacred duty" aimed at preserving the "individual fighter", the country's main tactical advantage, under the name "The High-T Department of War".
- Belgium's capital notes that the application to female military personnel remains uncertain, and recalls that the government has already linked access to combat roles to a "higher male standard", echoing the exclusion of transgender military personnel.
COGNITIVE BIASES IDENTIFIED
Belgium's capital, Brussels, sees the issue through a US-centric lens, with Belgian media largely relaying Pentagon talking points without input from independent Belgian or European medical experts.
Belgian government officials tend to favor factual reporting, with limited context on how the country's military doctrine aligns with European standards on sports medicine and soldier longevity.
The Belgian perspective also falls short in covering the female aspect, as the issue of including female military personnel in screening efforts is raised but not explored in depth through official or associative responses.
SOURCES (2)
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