вы должны использовать border:5px(border-width) solid(type) #ff0000(custom-color);
table tbody tr td,
table tbody tr th
{
margin: 12px 12px 12px 12px;
padding-right: 20px;
border-radius: 25px;
background: #73AD21;
padding: 20px;
width: 135px;
height: 10px;
border:5px solid #f00;
}
/*.bd-highlight {
margin: 12px 12px 12px 12px;
padding-right: 20px;
border-radius: 25px;
background: #73AD21;
padding: 20px;
width: 135px;
height: 10px;
border-color: white;
}*/
table tbody tr td,
table tbody tr th
{
margin: 12px 12px 12px 12px;
padding-right: 20px;
border-radius: 25px;
background: #73AD21;
padding: 20px;
width: 135px;
height: 10px;
border:5px solid #f00;
}
<div class="row" id="columntab">
<div class="col-6" id="columnmain">
<table class="t1" cellspacing="10">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th class="bd-highlight"><a href="download/EXTC/SEM3 CBCGS/EIC/SE-EXTC_SEM3_EIC-CBCGS_DEC18.pdf" download="">Dec 2018</a></th>
<th><a href="download/EXTC/SEM3 CBCGS/EIC/SE-EXTC_SEM3_EIC-CBCGS_MAY18.pdf" download="">May 2018</a></th>
<th><a href="download/EXTC/SEM3 CBCGS/EIC/SE-EXTC_SEM3_EIC-CBCGS_DEC17.pdf" download="">Dec 2017</a></th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<div class="col-3">
2 of 3 (wider)
</div>
<div class="col-3">
3 of 3
</div>
</div>