This study examines trust in Swedish government agencies based on individuals’ left-right political ideology. Two theories, the Cultural backlash theory and the Economic insecurity thesis, traditionally used to explain the rise of right-wing populist parties, are applied to identify factors influencing trust. The Cultural backlash theory focuses on conflicts between social-liberal and social-conservative values, while the Economic insecurity thesis emphasises the impact of globalisation on economic winners and losers. The results reveal a trust gap between left- and right-wing voters, but other factors seem to play a more significant role in explaining trust levels. Factors associated with the economic insecurity thesis marginally surpass factors associated with political ideology in explanatory power, while those linked to the cultural backlash theory explain more of the variation. The study suggests that, despite the influence that political ideology has on trust in government agencies, the trust gap might be better characterised as a social-liberal/conservative gap. Overall, it highlights the nuanced interplay between cultural and economic factors in shaping trust dynamics within the Swedish context.