The political reasons for why individuals perceive their group to be deprived are not well understood. This article proposes that individuals who perceive having linkages to political leaders are less likely to feel group deprivation. It is posited that such perception stems from politicians’ efforts to attract support through either credit-claiming or clientelism. Results from a survey in Lebanon show that respondents expressing trust in political leaders as sources of information are less likely to feel group deprivation, while outcome-based measures are less reliable predictors. There is further evidence this effect stems from greater access to patronage, as Lebanese political parties generally use clientelism at the local level to attract support. The findings broadly suggest increasing trust in politicians may mitigate intergroup animosity on the part of in-group members
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