treat (someone or something) like (someone or something else)
To consider, regard, or deal with someone or something in a certain manner or as if they or it were a certain type of person or thing. I decided to leave the job—I'd had enough of being treated like an amateur by my boss. We've got to treat these like credible threats until we have proof otherwise.
treat someone or something like someone or something
to deal with someone or something as if the person or thing were really someone, a type of a person, or something. I like him. He treats me like a king. He treats Jane like Mary—he ignores them both.