Cheating

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's affair with an alleged Chinese spy could have put American secrets at risk ... or it may have been the perfect opportunity to turn the tables on China.

Former CIA and State Department official Nicholas Eftimiades joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday ... explaining how Chinese intelligence may have used the woman's close relationship with Jensen to gather sensitive information.

Nicholas says Chinese officials could have recruited her after learning she had access to Jensen ... potentially coaching her on what information to collect and how to keep him close.