WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (Reuters) - The board of a labor federation of more than 50 U.S. unions representing 12.5 million workers called for President Donald Trump's resignation or removal from office.

The AFL-CIO General Board said in a statement that "Trump is an affront to every union member, and a clear and present danger to our nation and our republic. He should resign or be removed from office at once."

On Wednesday, the head of a major U.S. business group that represents 14,000 companies urged senior U.S. officials to consider removing Trump after supporters of the outgoing president stormed the U.S. Capitol.

National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) President and Chief Executive Jay Timmons said Trump "incited violence in an attempt to retain power, and any elected leader defending him is violating their oath to the Constitution and rejecting democracy in favor of anarchy.... Vice President (Mike) Pence, who was evacuated from the Capitol, should seriously consider working with the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment to preserve democracy."

The AFL-CIO said its demand for Trump's removal is "not a statement America’s labor movement makes lightly. It is not driven by politics or ideology, but rather by the fundamental belief that the preservation of our democracy is essential—though never guaranteed." (Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David Gregorio)