KIEL, Germany — Following his recent transfer to Holstein Kiel, United States men’s national soccer team defender John Tolkin has expressed regret regarding his previous activities on social media. The team addressed this matter on Friday amid discussions surrounding certain posts that Tolkin had engaged with, which related to issues such as gender identity, the COVID-19 pandemic, and various conspiracy theories.

In an official statement released by Kiel, Tolkin acknowledged, “I regret that things I have done in the past in my social media activities may have hurt, irritated or offended people. This was never my intention. I want to take this opportunity to assure you 100% that I respect all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.” He also emphasized that he holds no “homophobic or discriminatory thoughts.”

The club further clarified that they had discussed the problematic posts with Tolkin. They noted that he “credibly explained” his actions were not meant to offend anyone. Kiel’s statement read, “John stands behind the club’s philosophy and this explicitly includes a commitment to diversity, tolerance and against all forms of discrimination and racism. We are therefore firmly convinced that with the signing of John, we can welcome a player to Holstein Kiel who fits in with us as a club, not only from a sporting point of view, but also from a human point of view.”

This announcement came just a day after the 22-year-old defender signed with the Bundesliga club, which is currently facing relegation threats. Tolkin has had four appearances with the U.S. national team since 2023 and is viewed as a crucial depth option at left back as preparations continue for the World Cup next year.

Last year, Tolkin played all matches with the U.S. Olympic team during the Paris Olympics, a competition primarily featuring players under the age of 23. During multiple interviews, particularly one with CBS while participating in the Olympics, Tolkin expressed his regret for any offense caused. At that time, he remarked, “I understand the platform I have and liking those posts on Twitter is probably not the best thing to do.”