I see no similarities between Trump's "mockery" and the reporter's genuine mannerisms/behavior.
Could Kovaleski possibly be playing the "victim card?"
For those unfamiliar with the incident:
Kovaleski wrote a piece in the WaPo on September 18, 2001, stating that after the 9/11 attacks, "law enforcement authorities detained and questioned a number of people who were allegedly seen celebrating the attacks and holding tailgate-style parties on rooftops while they watched the devastation."
At a November 2015 campaign rally, Trump cited that article as confirming that "thousands and thousands of people were cheering" in Jersey City, NJ as the WTC collapsed.
Then Kovaleski tried to walk back his statements in his earlier article, saying he didn't remember saying that thousands, or even hundreds of people were celebrating after the WTC tragedy. After which Trump made fun of him and claimed to have no idea what he looked like or that he was disabled.