The Justice Department said in a court filing the Pentagon would not pursue several border barrier replacement projects 'at this time' since there weren't enough funds in a counter-narcotics fund it planned to tap for them.

The decision to pull back from three projects on the southern border – all part of a primary campaign promise demanded by President Trump – comes as the military has complied with other administration requests to scour the budget for bunds for border projects.

The three delayed projects, consisting of about 20 miles of fencing to be replaced, were relying on $2.5 billion from counter-narcotics funding.

Three planned projects that were to rely on counter-narcotics funding will not go forward 'at this time,' the government said in a filing

'The Department of Defense has decided not to pursue Yuma Sector Projects 4 and 5, and Tucson Sector Project 4 at this time,' the government wrote in a court filing in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The Army Corps of Engineers had earlier concluded that 'lower-than expected contract costs may yield sufficient savings to build up to an additional 20 miles of border barrier,' according to the court filing, which was reported on by Politico.

The project was included on a list of projects put forward at the end of August. However, after 'definitizing the contracts,' the Corps determined 'there are insufficient contract savings to undertake' the projects.

President Trump offered to provide pardons for aides who run afoul of the law in the rush to construct border wall, the Washington Post reported last month

In this Jan. 9, 2019 file photo, construction crews install new border wall sections seen from Tijuana, Mexico

NC National Guardsmen watch the border in Yuma, Arizona, on February 8, 2007. The National Guard assists with surveillance and calls the Border Patrol if an illegal is spotted. The National Guard's Operation Jump Start has reduced illegal crossings by 75% compared to a year ago

It provided the notice to Congress and to plaintiffs in a lawsuit, the Defenders of Wildlife, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

President Trump has made building border wall a top directive. On August 27, the same day the Pentagon identified the three projects now on hold, the Washington Post reported the president told aides not to worry about environmental rules and to fast-track wall projects in order to get it build as quickly as possible.

According to the report, Trump even told aides he would pardon them if the ran afoul of environmental or other laws. A White House official was quoted as saying Trump was joking when he makes such statements about pardons.

Trump made building a wall on the southern border a key campaign promise, although he also said Mexico would pay for it.